Apparatus for controlling a door

• US 6,681,444 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2002
• Issued: 01/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: American Vehicular Sciences LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Automotive Technologies International Incorporated
• Inventors: Breed, David S., Davis, Stuart D., Maltsev, Sergiy
• Primary Examiner(s): Knight, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): JACKSON, ANDRE L
• Application Number:
  US10/043,556
• Publication Number:
  US 20020066158A1
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: 16/82, 16/86.C, 163/37, 16/86.B
• US Class Current: 16/82
• 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

Abstract

Door check mechanism including a rack adapted to be coupled to and extend outward from the frame, a gear adapted to be arranged on the door, the gear having teeth and being arranged in engagement with the rack and a detent mechanism arranged in engagement with the rack and the gear for enabling the door to be positioned in a plurality of fixed positions and for preventing movement of the door to a different fixed position when a force exerted upon the door is below a threshold. The detent mechanism may include a cam having a pawl in engagement with the rack and a detent and a spring for biasing the detent against the gear to press the gear against the rack. The gear is rotatable along the rack which each position in which the pawl engages one of the teeth being a possible position of the door.

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 and held in the different open positions, comprising:

a rack adapted to be coupled to and extend outward from the frame;

a gear adapted to be arranged on the door, said gear having teeth and being arranged in engagement with said rack;

a cam having a pawl arranged to selectively engage with said rack;

a detent arranged on said cam; and

a spring arranged on said cam for biasing said detent against said gear to thereby press said gear against said rack and prevent rotation of said gear relative to said cam when a force exerted on the door is less than a threshold and allow rotation of said gear relative to said cam when the force exerted on the door is greater than the threshold whereby rotation of said gear relative to said cam enables the door to be positioned in a plurality of positions relative to said rack.

2. The door check mechanism of claim 1, further comprising a housing adapted to be arranged on the door, said gear and said cam being arranged in connection with said housing.

3. The door check mechanism of claim 1, wherein said detent is biased by said spring against a slot between adjacent teeth of said gear.

4. The door check mechanism of claim 1, further comprising a movable piston member having a roller arranged in connection therewith, said roller engaging said cam.

5. The door check mechanism of claim 4, wherein said cam includes an indentation in a surface and said roller is positionable against said indentation whereby when said roller is forced against said indentation, said cam is immovable.

6. The door check mechanism of claim 4, further comprising a spring for forcing said roller into engagement with said cam to prevent movement of said cam.

7. The door check mechanism of claim 1, wherein said cam is arranged to rotate upon relative movement between the door and said rack upon exertion of a force above a threshold.

8. The door check mechanism of claim 7, further comprising at least one stop for restricting rotational movement of said cam.

9. A door 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 and held in the different open positions, comprising:

a rack adapted to be coupled to and extend outward from the frame;

a gear adapted to be arranged on the door, said gear having teeth and being arranged in engagement with said rack; and

detent means arranged in engagement with said rack and in contact with said gear for enabling the door to be positioned in a plurality of fixed positions and for preventing movement of the door to a different fixed position when a force exerted upon the door is below a threshold.

10. The door check mechanism of claim 9, further comprising a housing adapted to be arranged on the door, said gear and said detent means being arranged in connection with said housing.

11. The door check mechanism of claim 9, wherein said rack is elongate.

12. The door check mechanism of claim 9, wherein said detent means comprise a member having engagement means for engaging said rack and pressing means for pressing said gear against said rack.

13. The door check mechanism of claim 12, wherein said engagement means comprise a pawl.

14. The door check mechanism of claim 12, wherein said pressing means comprise a detent and biasing means for biasing said detent against said gear to thereby press said gear against said rack.

15. The door check mechanism of claim 12, wherein said detent means are arranged to prevent rotation of said gear relative to said member when a force exerted on the door is less than a threshold and allow rotation of said gear relative to said member when the force exerted on the door is greater than the threshold.

16. The door check mechanism of claim 12, wherein said detent means further comprise movement preventing means for preventing movement of said member when a force exerted on the door is below a threshold.

17. The door check mechanism of claim 12, wherein said gear is interposed between said pressing means and said rack.

18. The door check mechanism of claim 9, wherein said detent means comprise a cam having a pawl arranged to selectively engage with said rack.

19. The door check mechanism of claim 18, wherein said detent means further comprise holding means for holding said cam in a stationary position.

20. The door check mechanism of claim 18, wherein said detent means further comprise a movable piston member having a roller arranged in connection therewith, said roller engaging said cam.

21. The door check mechanism of claim 20, wherein said cam includes an indentation in a surface and said roller is positionable against said indentation whereby when said roller is forced against said indentation, said cam is immovable.

22. The door check mechanism of claim 20, wherein said detent means further comprise biasing means for forcing said roller into engagement with said cam to prevent movement of said cam.

23. The door check mechanism of claim 18, wherein said detent means further comprise a detent and a spring arranged on said cam for biasing said detent against said gear.

24. The door check mechanism of claim 23, wherein said detent is biased by said spring against a slot between adjacent teeth of said gear.

25. The door check mechanism of claim 18, wherein said cam is arranged to rotate upon relative movement between the door and said rack upon exertion of a force above a threshold.

26. The door check mechanism of claim 25, further comprising at least one stop for restricting rotational movement of said cam.

27. A door 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 and held in the different open positions, comprising:

a rack adapted to be coupled to and extend outward from the frame;

a gear adapted to be arranged on the door, said gear having teeth and being arranged in engagement with said rack; and

detent means arranged in engagement with said rack and said gear for enabling the door to be positioned in a plurality of fixed positions and for preventing movement of the door to a different fixed position when a force exerted upon the door is below a threshold,

said detent means comprising a cam having a pawl arranged to selectively engage with said rack.

28. The door check mechanism of claim 27, wherein said detent means further comprise holding means for holding said cam in a stationary position.

29. The door check mechanism of claim 27, wherein said detent means further comprise a movable piston member having a roller arranged in connection therewith, said roller engaging said cam.

30. The door check mechanism of claim 29, wherein said cam includes an indentation in a surface and said roller is positionable against said indentation whereby when said roller is forced against said indentation, said cam is immovable.

31. The door check mechanism of claim 29, wherein said detent means further comprise biasing means for forcing said roller into engagement with said cam to prevent movement of said cam.

32. The door check mechanism of claim 27, wherein said detent means further comprise a detent and a spring arranged on said cam for biasing said detent against said gear.

33. The door check mechanism of claim 32, wherein said detent is biased by said spring against a slot between adjacent teeth of said gear.

34. The door check mechanism of claim 27, wherein said cam is arranged to rotate upon relative movement between the door and said rack upon exertion of a force above a threshold.

35. The door check mechanism of claim 34, further comprising at least one stop for restricting rotational movement of said cam.

36. A door 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 and held in the different open positions, comprising:

a rack adapted to be coupled to and extend outward from the frame, said rack having first and second opposed sides;

a gear adapted to be arranged on the door, said gear having teeth and being arranged in engagement with said rack on the first side of said rack; and

detent means arranged in engagement with said rack and said gear for enabling the door to be positioned in a plurality of fixed positions and for preventing movement of the door to a different fixed position when a force exerted upon the door is below a threshold,

said detent means being arranged on the first side of said rack and thus on the same side of said rack as said gear.

37. The door check mechanism of claim 36, wherein said rack is elongate.

38. A door 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 and held in the different open positions, comprising:

a rack adapted to be coupled to and extend outward from the frame;

a gear adapted to be arranged on the door, said gear having teeth and being arranged in engagement with said rack; and

detent means arranged in engagement with said rack and said gear for enabling the door to be positioned in a plurality of fixed positions and for preventing movement of the door to a different fixed position when a force exerted upon the door is below a threshold,

said detent means comprise a member having engagement means for engaging said rack and pressing means for pressing said gear against said rack,

said gear being interposed between said pressing means and said rack.

39. The door check mechanism of claim 38, wherein said rack is elongate.

40. A door 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 and held in the different open positions, comprising:

a rack adapted to be coupled to and extend outward from the frame, said rack having first and second opposed sides;

a gear adapted to be arranged on the door, said gear having teeth and being arranged in engagement with said rack on the first side of said rack; and

detent means arranged in engagement with said rack and said gear for enabling the door to be positioned in a plurality of fixed positions and for preventing movement of the door to a different fixed position when a force exerted upon the door is below a threshold,

said detent means comprise a member having engagement means for engaging said rack and pressing means engaging with said gear for pressing said gear against said rack, said pressing means being arranged on the first side of said rack and thus on the same side of said rack as said gear.

41. The door check mechanism of claim 40, wherein said rack is elongate.

42. A door 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 and held in the different open positions, comprising:

a rack adapted to be coupled to and extend outward from the frame, said rack having first and second opposed sides;

a gear adapted to be arranged on the door, said gear having teeth and being arranged in engagement with the first side of said rack; and

detent means arranged in engagement with said rack and said gear for enabling the door to be positioned in a plurality of fixed positions and for preventing movement of the door to a different fixed position when a force exerted upon the door is below a threshold,

said detent means comprise a member having engagement means for engaging said first side of said rack and pressing means engaging with said gear for pressing said gear against the first side of said rack.

43. The door check mechanism of claim 42, wherein said rack is elongate.

44. A door 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 and held in the different open positions, comprising:

a rack adapted to be coupled to and extend outward from the frame;

a gear adapted to be arranged on the door, said gear having teeth and being arranged in engagement with said rack; and

detent means arranged in engagement with said rack and said gear for enabling the door to be positioned in a plurality of fixed positions and for preventing movement of the door to a different fixed position when a force exerted upon the door is below a threshold,

said detent means comprising a member having engagement means for engaging said rack and pressing means for pressing said gear against said rack,

said engagement means comprising a pawl.

45. The door check mechanism of claim 44, wherein said rack is elongate.

46. A door 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 and held in the different open positions, comprising:

a rack adapted to be coupled to and extend outward from the frame;

a gear adapted to be arranged on the door, said gear having teeth and being arranged in engagement with said rack; and

detent means arranged in engagement with said rack and said gear for enabling the door to be positioned in a plurality of fixed positions and for preventing movement of the door to a different fixed position when a force exerted upon the door is below a threshold,

said detent means comprising a member having engagement means for engaging said rack and pressing means for pressing said gear against said rack,

said pressing means comprising a detent and biasing means for biasing said detent against said gear to thereby press said gear against said rack.

47. The door check mechanism of claim 46, wherein said rack is elongate.