Dampened slide for an anti-chucking wedge assembly

• US 7,308,731 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2004
• Issued: 12/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Newfrey Llc (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Newfrey Llc (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schubring, Gary L., Meyers, Jason A.
• Primary Examiner(s): SANDY, ROBERT JOHN
• Application Number:
  US10/893,857
• Publication Number:
  US 20050253398A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,250 Days
• Field of Search: 16/85, 16/86.R, 16/86.A, 16/86.B, 16/74, 248/188.4, 248/410, 248/411, 248/615, 248/157, 248/205.3, 296/207, 180/69.21, 180/89.17, 292/DIG.14, 439/545, 439/549, 439/552, 439/557, 439/567
• US Class Current: 16/86.00R
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 5/022 specially adapted for vehicles, e.g. for hoods or trunks
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/546 Tailgates
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/03 Miscellaneous

Abstract

A dampened slide for a wedge assembly includes a slide housing having perimeter walls. First and second alignment members connect to the perimeter walls, each having a deflectable portion. The deflectable portions extend opposite to each other and transverse to a centerline of the housing.

Claims

1. An automobile vehicle anti-chucking wedge assembly slide, comprising:

a slide housing defining at least a first and a second perimeter wall, the second perimeter wall opposing the first perimeter wall, and a contact surface integrally connecting the first and second perimeter walls;

a first alignment member connectable to the first perimeter wall, the first alignment member defining a first deflectable portion deflectable about a first arc toward the first alignment wall and about a second arc substantially perpendicular to the first arc; and

a second alignment member connectable to the second perimeter wall, the second alignment member defining a second deflectable portion deflectable about a third arc toward the second alignment wall and about the second arc substantially perpendicular to the third arc;

wherein the first and the second deflectable portions each extend opposite to each other and transverse to a centerline of the slide housing in a non-deflected state.

2. The slide of claim 1, further comprising a tab integrally connectable adjacent a distal end of each of the first and second alignment members.

3. The slide of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of raised ribs disposed on the contact surface.

4. The side of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second alignment members further comprise a non-deflecting portion.

5. The slide of claim 4, wherein each non-deflecting portion further comprises a flat engagement surface.

6. The side of claim 1, further comprising a biasing device retaining member.

7. The slide of claim 1, further comprising:

an engagement surface of the slide positionable opposite to the contact surface; and

wherein each of the first and second alignment members defines a non-deflected height measurable from a plane parallel to the engagement surface.

8. The slide of claim 7, wherein each of the first and second alignment members further comprise a non-deflecting portion extending transverse to the plane and opposite to the contact surface.

9. An automobile vehicle anti-chucking wedge assembly slide, comprising:

a slide housing defining at least a first and a second perimeter wall, the second perimeter wall opposing the first perimeter wall, and a contact surface integrally connecting the first and second perimeter walls;

a first alignment member connectable to the first perimeter wall, the first alignment member defining a first deflectable portion;

a second alignment member connectable to the second perimeter wall, the second alignment member defining a second deflectable portion;

a major height wall operably connecting the first and second perimeter walls; and

a minor height wall opposed to the major height wall operably connecting the first and second perimeter walls;

wherein an inclination angle is operably created for the contact surface by a difference in height between the major height wall and the minor height wall, and

wherein the first and the second deflectable portions each extend opposite to each other and transverse to a centerline of the slide housing.

10. An automobile vehicle anti-chucking wedge assembly slide, comprising:

a slide housing defining four perimeter walls, including opposed first and second perimeter walls, and opposed third and fourth perimeter walls, the third perimeter wall having a height greater than a fourth perimeter wall height, and a contact surface integrally connecting the first and second perimeter walls;

a first alignment member connectable to the first perimeter wall, the first alignment member defining a first deflectable portion;

a second alignment member connectable to the second perimeter wall, the second alignment member defining a second deflectable portion;

a tab integrally connectable adjacent a distal end of each of the first and second alignment members;

a first shoulder created in the first perimeter wall operable to receive the tab of the first alignment member; and

a second shoulder created in the second perimeter wall operable to receive the tab of the second alignment member;

wherein the first and the second deflectable portions each extend opposite to each other and transverse to a centerline of the slide housing.

11. An anti-chucking door wedge assembly, comprising:

a slide housing defining at least a first and a second perimeter wall, the second perimeter wall opposing the first perimeter wall, and a contact surface integrally connecting the first and second perimeter walls;

a first alignment member connectable to the first perimeter wall, the first alignment member defining a first deflectable portion;

a second alignment member connectable to the second perimeter wall, the second alignment member defining a second deflectable portion; and

a support plate including substantially parallel first and second raised channels;

wherein the first alignment member is slidably received within the first raised channel operably biasing the first deflectable portion, and the second alignment member is slidably received within the second raised channel operably biasing the second deflectable portion.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a striker positionable to slidably engage the contact surface.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising a bumper connectable to the slide.

14. The system of claim 11, further comprising a biasing device movably connecting the slide housing to the support plate.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein each of the first and second deflectable portions further comprise a tab.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the slide housing further comprises a first and a second shoulder, the first shoulder operable to engage the tab of the first deflectable portion and the second shoulder operable to engage the tab of the second deflectable portion.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising a tooling aperture created in each of the first and second raised channels, wherein engagement of the tab of each of the first and second deflectable portions with one of the first and second shoulders prevents engagement of the first and second alignment members with the tooling apertures.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the contact surface further comprises a plurality of raised ribs.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein each of the first and second alignment members are deflectable along each of a first and a second arc.

20. An automobile vehicle anti-chucking wedge assembly slide, comprising:

a slide housing having opposing first and second perimeter walls, and opposed third and fourth perimeter walls, the third perimeter wall having a height greater than a fourth perimeter wall height;

a first alignment member connectable to the first perimeter wall, the first alignment member defining a first deflectable portion; and

a second alignment member connectable to the second perimeter wall, the second alignment member defining a second deflectable portion;

a tab integrally connectable adjacent a distal end of each of the first and second alignment members; and

a cavity created in each of the first and second perimeter walls operable to receive the tab of the first and second alignment members, respectively.

21. The slide of claim 20, wherein the first and the second deflectable portions each extend opposite to each other and transverse to a centerline of the slide housing.

22. The slide of claim 20, further comprising a contact surface integrally connecting the first and second perimeter walls.

23. A method for creating an anti-chucking wedge assembly, the wedge assembly including at least a slide housing having a pair of opposed perimeter walls and a deflectable member connected to each of the opposed perimeter walls, a support plate having substantially parallel raised channels, and an wedge body, the method comprising:

integrally connecting the support plate to the wedge body;

creating an engagement surface on the wedge body substantially bounded between the raised channels;

biasing the deflectable members in each of a first and a second direction; and

slidably engaging the deflectable members of the wedge housing with the raised channels such that the slide housing slidably engages the engagement surface.

24. The method of claim 23, comprising:

creating an inclined contact surface on the slide housing;

configuring the engagement surface as an inclined surface.

25. The method of claim 24, comprising creating a plurality of raised ribs on both the contact surface and the engagement surface where the contact surface operably engages the engagement surface.

26. The method of claim 23, comprising connecting the slide housing to the wedge body using a biasing device.

27. The method of claim 23, comprising:

creating opposed shoulders in the slide housing; and

extending a tab from each of the deflectable members operable to engage one of the opposed shoulders.

28. The method of claim 27, comprising positioning each shoulder along an arc path of one of the deflectable members to operably limit a deflection of each deflectable member.