Vehicle infinite door check

• US 6,065,185 A
• Filed: 03/17/1998
• Issued: 05/23/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: American Vehicular Sciences LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Automotive Technologies International Incorporated
• Inventors: Breed, David S., Sanders, William Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Mah, Chuck Y.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gurley, Donald M.
• Application Number:
  US09/040,206
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• Field of Search: 16/82, 16/86 C, 16/337, 292/275
• US Class Current: 16/86.00C
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 17/006 with means for detecting obstacles outside the doors
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 17/203 concealed, e.g. for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/301 Friction catch

Abstract

An infinite door check mechanism for enabling a door to be moved from a closed position in a door frame to any one of a plurality of different open positions including a clevis adapted to be mounted to the frame, an elongate strip member mounted to the clevis and directed outward from the frame, a door check housing adapted to be mounted on the door, the strip member extending at least partially through the housing, and a support member arranged in the housing. A movable locking member is arranged in the housing such that the strip member is interposed between the locking member and the support member. A biasing member such as a spring is positioned in the housing for selectively pressing the locking member against the strip member to force the strip member against the support member and thereby retain the strip member in a fixed position and releasing pressure of the locking member against the strip member and thereby enable movement of the strip member. Structure is also provided to exert a drag force onto the strip member to enable the locking member to rotate without slipping.

Claims

1. An infinite door check mechanism for enabling a door to be moved from a closed position in a door frame to any one of a plurality of different open positions, comprising

a door check housing adapted to be mounted on the door,

a support member arranged in said housing,

a movable locking member arranged in said housing

an elongate strip member adapted to be mounted to and extend outward from the frame, said strip member extending at least partially through said housing and being at least partially interposed between said locking member and said support member,

biasing means for selectively pressing said locking member against said strip member to force said strip member against said support member and thereby retain said strip member in a fixed position resulting in checking of the door and releasing pressure of said locking member against said strip member and thereby enable movement of said strip member, and,

torque means for applying a torque to said locking member to prevent said locking member from slipping on said strip member when the checking is occurring.

2. The door check mechanism of claim 1, wherein said strip member is arcuate and adapted to be pivotally mounted to the frame, said strip member having opposed longitudinally extending surfaces, one of said surfaces engaging said locking member and another of said surfaces engaging said support member.

3. The door check mechanism of claim 1, wherein said locking member is a cam including an integral cam shaft defining a rotational axis for said cam, said cam having an irregular shape and being arranged to press said strip member against said support member with a variable force depending on the position of said cam.

4. The door check mechanism of claim 3, wherein said cam has a first flat surface having edges and second and third arcuate surfaces alongside a respective one of said edges of said first flat surface such that the radial distance at said edges is greater than the radial distance of said first flat surface.

5. The door check mechanism of claim 4, further comprising a cam holder fixedly connected to said cam, said cam holder having an edge adapted to contact said support member once said second or third arcuate surface contacts said strip member such that said biasing means press said cam holder against said support member thereby releasing pressure applied by said biasing means to force said cam against said support member with said strip member interposed between said can and said support member and enabling said strip member to move.

6. The door check mechanism of claim 1, further comprising

movement limiting means arranged in said housing for limiting movement of said locking member said movement limiting means comprising a tab at least partially extending into a recessed surface of said locking member.

7. The door check mechanism of claim 1, further comprising a locking member holder fixedly connected to said locking member, said biasing means comprising an elastic spring operative at one end against said housing and operative at an opposite end against said locking member holder.

8. The door check mechanism of claim 1, further comprising drag exerting means for exerting a drag force onto said strip member to enable said locking member to move without slipping.

9. The door check mechanism of claim 8, further comprising a locking member holder fixedly connected to said locking member, said drag exerting means comprising at least one elastica spring, each mounted at one end to said locking member holder and bearing against said locking member at an opposite end.

10. The door check mechanism of claim 9, wherein said locking member includes at least one recessed arcuate surface, each of said at least one elastica spring bearing against a respective one of said recessed arcuate surfaces.

11. The door check mechanism of claim 1, wherein the door check mechanism is not integrated into a hinge of the door.

12. The door check mechanism of claim 1, wherein said support member comprises an additional movable locking member arranged such that said strip member is interposed between said locking member and said additional locking member.

13. The door check mechanism of claim 12, further comprising

drag exerting means for exerting a drag force onto said strip member to enable said locking member and said additional locking member to rotate without slipping, and

a locking member holder fixedly connected to said locking member and said additional locking member, said drag exerting means comprising elastica springs, each pivotally mounted at one end to said locking member holder and bearing against said locking member at an opposite end.

14. The door check mechanism of claim 13, wherein said locking member and said additional locking member each include at least one recessed arcuate surface, one of said elastica springs bearing against a respective one of said recessed arcuate surfaces.

15. The door check mechanism of claim 1, further comprising

a locking member holder for housing said locking member, said locking member holder including a mounting bracket, and

an automatic door closing apparatus for enabling the door to close automatically under its own weight,

said automatic door closing apparatus comprising

a motor coupled to said housing, and

a rod extending into engagement with said support bracket and actuatable by said motor to pull said locking member away from said strip member.

16. The door check mechanism of claim 1, further comprising

a locking member holder fixedly connected to said locking member, and

drag exerting means for exerting a drag force onto said strip member to enable said locking member to rotate without slipping, said drag exerting means comprising a cantilevered spring mounted at one end to said locking member holder and having its opposite end movable between two projections arranged on said locking member.

17. The door check mechanism of claim 1, wherein said strip member is serrated on a surface engaging said locking member to thereby form alternating teeth and grooves, said locking member having a tip positionable within one of said grooves.

18. The door check mechanism of claim 1, wherein said locking member has a pair of arcuate surfaces adapted to be pressed against said strip member and a pointed tip defined between said arcuate surfaces.

19. The door check mechanism of claim 1, wherein said locking member has a beveled edge, said strip member having a groove for at least partially receiving said beveled edge of said locking member.

20. The door check mechanism of claim 1, wherein said strip member includes means for defining a fixed stop for the door.

21. The door check mechanism of claim 20, wherein said fixed stop defining means comprise projections arranged at a location along a length of said strip member at transverse edges thereat and said locking member having a central shaft, an upper disk, a lower disk and an irregularly shaped section between said upper and lower disks, said projections on said strip member engaging with said upper and lower disks to fix the position of the door.

22. The door check mechanism of claim 1, further comprising dampening means for providing drag on said strip member in order to dampening motion of the door, said dampening means comprising springs mounted onto said housing and brake material mounted on said springs and arranged to be biased by said springs against said strip member.

23. The door check mechanism of claim 1, wherein said locking member comprises

a driven member fixedly mounted in said housing, and

a movable member interposed between said driven member and said strip member, said movable member being movable along a contoured surface said driven member into different positions to thereby vary the pressure exerted by said biasing means pressing said strip member against said support member.

24. An infinite door check mechanism for enabling a door to be moved from a closed position in a door frame to any one of a plurality of different open positions, comprising

a door check housing adapted to be mounted on the door,

a support member adapted to be mounted to the frame, said support member including a hinge pin defining a rotational axis about which said support member is rotatable,

a hinge member arranged around said hinge pin,

a movable locking cam arranged in said housing to engage said hinge member, and

biasing means arranged in said housing for selectively pressing said cam against said hinge member to force said cam against said hinge member and thereby retain said hinge member and thus the door in a fixed position and releasing pressure of said cam against said hinge member and thereby enable rotation of said hinge member and thus the door.

25. The door check mechanism of claim 24, further comprising a cam holder fixedly connected to said cam, said biasing means comprising a strip of bent spring material arranged in said housing to exert pressure against said cam holder and thus said cam.

26. The door check mechanism of claim 24, further comprising drag exerting means for exerting a drag force onto said hinge member to enable said cam to rotate without slipping.

27. The door check mechanism of claim 26, further comprising a cam holder fixedly connected to said cam, said drag exerting means comprising at least one elastica spring, each mounted at one end to said cam holder and bearing against said cam at an opposite end.

28. The door check mechanism of claim 27, wherein said cam includes at least one recessed arcuate surface, each of said at least one elastica spring bearing against a respective one of said at least one recessed arcuate surface.

29. An infinite door check mechanism for enabling a door to be moved from a closed position in a door frame to any one of a plurality of different open positions, comprising

a door check housing adapted to be mounted on the frame,

a support member adapted to be mounted to the door, said support member including a hinge pin defining a rotational axis about which said support member is rotatable,

a hinge member arranged around said hinge pin and being adapted to be connected to the door to enable the door to rotate about said axis,

a movable locking member arranged in said housing to engage said hinge member, and

biasing means arranged in said housing for selectively pressing said locking member against said hinge member to force said locking member against said hinge member and thereby retain said hinge member and thus the door in a fixed position and releasing pressure of said locking member against said hinge member and thereby enable rotation of said hinge member and thus the door.

30. The door check mechanism of claim 29, further comprising a locking member holder fixedly connected to said locking member, said biasing means comprising a strip of bent spring material arranged in said housing to exert pressure against said locking member holder and thus said locking member.

31. The door check mechanism of claim 29, further comprising drag exerting means for exerting a drag force onto said hinge member to enable said locking member to rotate without slipping.

32. The door check mechanism of claim 31, further comprising a locking member holder fixedly connected to said locking member, said drag exerting means comprising at least one elastica spring, each mounted at one end to said locking member holder and bearing against said locking member at an opposite end.

33. The door check mechanism of claim 32, wherein said locking member includes at least one recessed arcuate surface, each of said at least one elastica spring bearing against a respective one of said at least one recessed arcuate surface.

34. An infinite door check mechanism for enabling a door to be moved from a closed position in a door frame to any one of a plurality of different open positions, comprising

a door check housing adapted to be mounted on the door,

a support member arranged in said housing,

an elongate strip member adapted to be mounted to and extend outward from the frame, said strip member extending at least partially through said housing, and

a flexible U-shaped element fixedly mounted in said housing and having a section in constant contact with said strip member to urge said strip member against said support member.

35. The door check mechanism of claim 34, wherein said U-shaped element is a spring.

36. The door check mechanism of claim 34, wherein said U-shaped element is a three-bar linkage wherein first and second bars are pivotally mounted at one end to said housing and at an opposite end to a third bar, said third bar being in constant contact with said strip member.

37. A method for making an infinite door check device for holding a door of a particular vehicle model at an arbitrary position between an open position and a closed position, comprising the steps of:

determining the checking torque required to hold the door against the expected forces tending to further open or to close the door;

determining the minimum design coefficient of friction for a door check mechanism including a strip member and a loading member;

selecting materials for the strip member and the loading member of the door check mechanism such that the coefficient of friction between the strip member and the loading member will not be less than the designed minimum coefficient of friction;

selecting a support member design and load to be applied by the loading member to achieve the checking torque; and

providing a means for exerting an additional force by the loading member onto the strip member to prevent the loading member from slipping on the strip member when the coefficient of friction is at the minimum value and when the check device is operating to check the motion of the door.