GB2160256A - Catch mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

A catch mechanism for a car door has a cam surface with a ridge fixed to one component and a roller unit 22 fixed to the other component and comprising a flexible bush, which has a rigid outer sleeve 30, and a resilient core 32 between the sleeve and a spindle 24. When the roller passes over the cam, the resilient core deforms to allow them to pass, and then prevents them passing back again until a certain force is applied. The catch mechanism may be incorporated in a door hinge for a vehicle door to provide a check mechanism with the flexible bush 22 mounted on one hinge component 10 or 12 which has to pass over a cam surface 28 on the other component 12 or 10 to allow 10 the door to open fully. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Catch mechanism This invention relates to a catch mechanism to be fitted between two relatively movable components to hold them in a desired relative position. One particular application for such a catch mechanism is in door hinges, particularly door hinges for car doors where the catch mechanism provides a check action to hold the door in an open position.

Many catch mechanisms have a resiliently mounted part which rides over a ridge in the form of a cam surface. Once the ridge has been passed, the resilience prevents the part from moving back over the ridge until a certain amount of force is applied.

Conventionally, this resilience is provided by a helical spring. Helical springs with a short travel and a high spring rate are prone to failure, particularly in applications such as vehicle doors where an extremely large number of cycles have to be accomplished.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a catch mechanism to be fitted between two relatively movable components, the mechanism comprising a cam surface with a ridge to be fixed to one component and a roller unit to be fixed to the other component, the roller having a rigid outer sleeve, being mounted on a central spindle and having a resilient core between the sleeve and the spindle, wherein the axis of the roller is at right angles to the direction of relative movement between the two components and wherein the cam surface and the roller unit are adapted to be fixed to the respective components such that the two surfaces interfere when they pass over one another and the resilient core supporting the roller sleeve has to deform resiliently to allow the roller to pass the cam surface ridge.

The catch mechanism may be combined with a hinge, in which case the catch will form a check mechanism for a door hung by the hinge.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a door hinge having two mutually pivoted components, one to be connected to the door and the other to be connected to a door pillar, one of the components carrying a roller, the axis of which is parallel to the hinge axis and the other component bearing a cam surface, the roller having a rigid outer sleeve, being mounted on a central spindle and having a resilient core between the sleeve and the spindle, and the roller and the cam surface being arranged so that they pass over one another during the opening action of the hinge, the spacing of the cam surface and of the roller surface from the hinge axis being such that the two surfaces interfere when they pass over one another so that the resilieny core supporting the roller sleve has to deform resiliently to allow the roller and the cam surface to pass one another.

The hinge components may be of pressed steel or rolled steel construction. When pressed steel is used, the cam surface or surfaces may be simply pressed out of the sheet material.

There may be more than one cam surface, to provide more than one check position for the door.

One of the hinge components may be made in two parts, so that after alignment of the door on a vehicle, the hinge can be demounted and assembled and subsequently remounted on the assembled vehicle.

One or both thinges on a door may have check mechanisms as set forth above.

The hinge may be used in other vehicle or non-vehicle applications other than the hanging of doors. Examples of such applications are hinged covers or lids which it may be desirable to hold in an open position.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of hinge in accordance with the invention; Figure la is a section through a roller; Figure 2 is an elevation of the hinge of Fig.

1; Figure 3 is a plan view of the hinge of Figs.

1 and 2; Figure 4 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of hinge in accordance with the invention; Figure 4a is a perspective view of a modification to the second embodiment of Fig. 4; Figure 5 is an elevation of the hinge of Fig.

4; Figure 6 is a plan view of the hinge of Figs.

4 and 5; Figure 7 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of hinge in accordance with the invention; Figure 8 is an elevation of the hinge of Fig.

7; and Figure 9 is a plan view of the hinge of Figs.

7 and 8.

The door hinges shown in the Figures all have a first component 10 to be fixed to the door and a second component 1 2 to be fixed to the door pillar. The component 10 may alternatively be fixed to the pillar and the component 1 2 to the door. Fixing of either component may be by welding or by bolting to the relevant structure.

The component 10 comprises two parallel arms 14 supported at the correct spacing by a strut 16. The arms 1 4 are pivoted to the other copmonent 1 2 by pivotpins 1 8 on an axis 20.

The arms 14 carry a roller 22 on a spindle 24.

The component 1 2 is in the form of a yoke.

Two bolts 26 pass through the base of the yoke to secure the component to the door pillar. Cam surfaces 28 are also formed on the base of the yoke.

The components 10 and 12 of the hinge shown in Figs. 1 to 3 are formed by stamping from sheet metal. The cam surfaces 28 are formed by indenting the metal in the appropriate places.

The roller 22 comprises a metal sleeve 30 surrounding a resilient rubber cylinder 32. A further metal sleeve 33 (see Fig. 1 a) may surround the spindle 24. Such rollers are usually termed flexible bushes, or elastic bushes. The outer sleeve 30 can move relative to the spindle 24 by deforming the rubber cylinder 32.

In use, the roller 22 and the cam surfaces 28 provide a check action. When the door is opened, the roller approaches the cam surfaces. The relative positions of the roller and the cam surfaces relative to the hinge axis 20 is such that the roller has to deform slightly to be able to pass over the cam surfaces.

It will be noted that, in Figs. 1 to 3, there are two successive cam ridges 34 and 36. A first check position is reached when the roller passes over the ridge 34, and a second check position is reached when the roller has passed over the second ridge 36. A stop position is reached, beyond the second ridge, when the roller abuts a face 38 of the component 1 2 (see Fig. 3).

Figs. 4 to 6 show an alternative form of hinge, where the components 10 and 1 2 are formed from rolled sections. In this case, the roller 22 is carried on the component 1 2 and two parallel cam surfaces 40 are formed on the component 1 0. This hinge has only a single check position, when the cam surfaces 40 pass over the roller 20 and abut against a face 42 of the component 1 2.

In a modification shown in Fig. 4a, the two parallel cam surfaces 40 may be at different angular positions around the axis 20, to provide two check positions.

The component 1 2 is made in two parts 44 and 46, with a bolt 48 connecting the two parts. This allows the door to be removed for assembly after it has been aligned on the vehicle and the hinges have been welded to the bodywork. After assembly (of the door and of the vehicle interior) the door can be reattached in the correct, aligned position.

The parts 44 and 46 fit into one another so that they are correctly located when they are pulled against one another by the bolt 48.

The hinge shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 is also made from pressed steel, and is a single check hinge. The parts of the hinge which correspond to the parts of hinges shown in earlier drawings bear the same reference numerals. The fully open position of the hinge is reached when the cam surface 50 on the outer end of the component 10 contacts the wall 52 of the component 1 2. Fig. 9 also shows the position of the forward edge of the door skin 54.

The rollers 22 shown in the various Figures will be free to rotate on their spindles 24.

When a door is opened, the roller will turn as it passes over the cam surface, and the cam and roller will remain in contact when the door is in its wide open position. When the door is closed again, the roller will turn back through the same degree of angular movement as it turned through during the opening movement, but once the cam surface disengages from the roller, the roller will rotate through a small further angle under the influence of its own inertia. Thus, the next time the door is opened, the roller will present a different part of its surface to the cam, and during the course of normal use, wear on the roller will be equalised around its circumference.

Normally, there will be two hinges on each door. Either one or both of these hinges can have a check as described here. As there will be two hinges, each hinge of a demountable type as shown in Figs. 4,5 and 6 need only be secured by one bolt, and the second bolt in the other hinge will provide the necessary alignment.

The check mechanism described is simple to manufacture. A pressed steel construction is cheap, but a rolled steel construction, as shown in Figs. 4 to 6, is stronger.

The roller and cam surface form a catch, and it will be apparent that these two parts cound be mounted separately, for example one on a door jamb and one on a door frame to provide a simple catch. In an undemanding application such as this, the roller 22 could be made of light-duty materials and plastics could be used.

Claims (7)

1. A catch mechanism to be fitted between two relatively movable components, the mechanism comprising a cam surface with a ridge to be fixed to one component and a roller unit to be fixed to the other component, the roller having a rigid outer sleeve, being mounted on a central spindle and having a resilient core between the sleeve and the spindle, wherein the axis of the roller is at right angles to the direction of relative movement between the two components and wherein the cam surface and the roller unit are adapted to be fixed to the respective components such that the two surfaces interfere when they pass over one another and the resilient core supporting the roller sleeve has to deform resiliently to allow the roller to pass the cam surface ridge.

2. A door hinge having two mutually pivoted components, one to be connected to the door and the other to be connected to a door pillar, one of the components carrying a roller, the axis of which is parallel to the hinge axis and the other component bearing a cam surface, the roller having a rigid outer sleeve, being mounted on a central spindle and having a resilient rubber core between the sleeve and the spindle, and the roller and the cam surface being arranged so that they pass over one another during the opening action of the hinge, the spacing of the cam surface and of the roller surface from the hinge axis being such that the two surfaces interfere when they pass over one another so that the flexibly mounted roller has to deflect to allow the roller and the cam surface to pass one another.

3. A door hinge as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the components are of pressed steel and the cam surface is formed by pressing an indentation out of the plane of the sheet material.

4. A door hinge as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the components are of rolled steel.

5. A door hinge as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein two cam surfaces, arranged in series, are provided, to provide two check positions.

6. A door hinge as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein one of the components is made in two parts which are bolted together, so that the door can be demounted with at least a part of the hinge remaining attached to the door and to the door pillar.

7. A door hinge substantially as herein described with reference to any one embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings.