Limit stop for a door or lid of a motor vehicle

• US 7,703,754 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2009
• Issued: 04/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Siemer, Hubert, Meyer, Burkhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Siconolfi; Robert A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sy; Mariano
• Application Number:
  US12/355,382
• Publication Number:
  US 20090115116A1
• Time in Patent Office: 466 Days
• Field of Search: 267/136, 267/140, 267/140.13, 267/140.11, 267/139, 267/116, 267/118, 267151-153, 188/322.5, 188/378, 16/82, 16/85, 16/86.A, 16/86.R, 296/76, 296/207, 180/69.2
• US Class Current: 267/140.13
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 5/022 specially adapted for vehicles, e.g. for hoods or trunks
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/546 Tailboards, tailgates or sideboards opening upwards

Abstract

A limit stop with an elastomer resilient element, which is to be secured on a door or lid and/or on an opposing stationary vehicle section for damping forces generated when the door or lid strikes stationary chassis parts of a motor vehicle. The limit stop includes an additional damping section disposed adjacent to and cooperating with the elastic resilient element in a spring deflection direction of the resilient element. The damping section comprises at least two chambers filled with a fluid and a nozzle plate arranged between the chambers with at least one channel extending through the nozzle plate and connecting the chambers. The fluid is displaced from one of the chambers into the other chamber during a spring deflection of the elastomer resilient element, thereby producing a pressure force which is caused by the buildup in pressure when the volume of one of the chambers decreases and augments the return force of the resilient element.

Claims

1. A limit stop with an elastomer resilient element (1) to be secured on a door or lid and/or on an opposing stationary vehicle section for damping forces generated when the door or lid strikes stationary chassis parts of a motor vehicle,

wherein the limit stop includes an additional damping section (2) disposed adjacent to and cooperating with the resilient element (1) in a spring deflection direction of the resilient element (1),

wherein the damping section (2) comprises at least two chambers (4, 5) filled with a fluid and a nozzle plate (6) arranged between chambers (4, 5) with at least one channel extending through the nozzle plate and connecting the chambers (4, 5),

wherein the fluid is displaced from one of the at least two chambers into the other of the at least two chamber during a spring deflection of the elastomer resilient element (1), thereby producing a pressure force which is caused by the buildup in pressure when the volume of one of the chambers (4) decreases and augments the return force of the resilient element (1),

an inner core (3) protruding into the elastomer resilient element (1), but not protruding into any of the at least two chambers (4, 5), wherein a height of the inner core (3), by which it protrudes into the elastomer resilient element (1), is adjustable, so that tolerances of the chassis parts can be compensated and gap dimensions between the door or lid and the stationary chassis parts can be adjusted,

a stop face (8) and an upper receiving body (9) which receives the inner core (3) and the elastomer resilient element (1) which partially surrounds the inner core (3),

wherein the combination of stop face (8) and upper receiving body (9) form a support body, which is assembled or connected as a single piece with a lower receiving body (10) receiving the nozzle plate (6) and an equalizing bellow (11),

wherein the chambers (4, 5) adapted to receive a viscous fluid are formed above and below the nozzle plate (6) and are connected by a channel (7) which operates as a nozzle.

2. The limit stop according to claim 1, wherein the limit stop is axially symmetric with respect to a longitudinal axis (z).

3. The limit stop according to claim 2, wherein the viscous fluid comprises ethylene glycol.

4. The limit stop according to claim 2, wherein the stop face (8) of the inner core (3) is made of rubber or a thermoplastic elastomer.

5. The limit stop according to claim 1, wherein the inner core (3) is formed as a screw with a head that is made of an elastomer material, or covered or enclosed by an elastomer material.

6. The limit stop according to claim 2, wherein a means (12) for atomizing the viscous fluid, which enters the lower chamber (5) through the nozzle (7) under pressure, are arranged above the equalizing bellow (11).

7. The limit stop according to claim 6, wherein a baffle (12) is provided for atomizing the viscous fluid, which enters the lower chamber (5) through the nozzle (7) under pressure.

8. The limit stop according to claim 6, wherein the means (12) for atomizing the viscous fluid entering the lower chamber are formed as a single piece with the nozzle plate (6).

9. The limit stop according to claim 1, wherein the only means (13, 13′

, 14, 14′

) for attaching the limit stop to a chassis part are arranged on an outer periphery of the limit stop.

10. The limit stop according to claim 9, wherein the attachment means comprise mounting lugs (13, 13′

) which include through bores (14, 14′

).

11. The limit stop according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle formed by the channel (7) of the nozzle plate (6) has a circular cross-section in form of a hole.

12. The limit stop according to claim 7, wherein the only structural component disposed in one of the at least two chambers (4, 5) is the baffle (12) and no structural component is disposed within the other of the at least two chambers (4, 5).

13. The limit stop according to claim 1, wherein the stop face and inner core are not secured to the motor vehicle so as to be compressible and generate the damping forces when the door or lid strikes the stationary chassis parts of the motor vehicle.