GB2353819A

GB2353819A - A system for holding closed a vehicle door

Info

Publication number: GB2353819A
Application number: GB0021560A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Sydney Edward Fisher; Timothy Bland; Nigel Victor Spurr
Original assignee: Meritor Light Vehicle Systems UK Ltd
Current assignee: ArvinMeritor Light Vehicle Systems UK Ltd
Priority date: 1999-09-04
Filing date: 2000-09-04
Publication date: 2001-03-07
Anticipated expiration: 2020-09-04
Also published as: GB2353819B; GB0021560D0; GB9920870D0

Abstract

A system for holding closed a hinged door 14 of a vehicle 10, the system comprising a first holding means in the form of releasable latch 18 for holding the door closed after pivoting the door into a closed position and a second holding means comprising a first part 22 on the door spaced from the latch which co-operates with a second part 24 on an adjacent section of the vehicle as a result of moving the door in a fore-and-aft direction substantially in the plane of the door.

Description

2353819 A System for Holding Closed a Hinged Door of a Vehicle fhe

invention relates to a system for holding closed a hinged door of a vehicle.

For obvious safety reasons, it is essential that the hinged door of a vehicle does not open accidentally and particularly so when the vehicle is being driven. The latches of the majority of vehicles are designed to be very reliable but rely on the door being held in its closed position at one point only. An object of the present invention is to provide an improved holding system for a hinged door of a vehicle which will resist a force which would tend to burst the door open, say, in the event of an accident.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a system for holding closed a hinged door of a vehicle, the system comprising a first holding means in the form of releasable latch for holding the door closed after pivoting the door into a closed position and a second holding means comprising a first part on the door spaced from the latch which cooperates with a second part on an adjacent section of the vehicle as a result of moving the door in a fore-and-aft direction substantially in the plane of the door.

The use of the second holding means in addition to the latch for holding the door closed provides additional security against the door opening particularly in the event of an accident.

In one embodiment the fore-and-aft movement of the door occurs as the door approaches its closed position. To facilitate such movement, the hinge may comprise a plurality of links pivotally mounted, in use, between the door and a door post of the vehicle.

Where the hinge comprises a plurality of links, the links may be attached, in use, to the door and the door post at spaced apart positions. During movement of the door from its open position to its closed position or vice versa one the links may follow a continuous arc in one direction of movement. In such a case, another link may undergo a back and forth arcuate movement. Two such links may be provided. Each link may be pivoted at one end to the door and at its other end to the door post.

2 The second door holding means may be positioned adjacent an upper or lower edge of the door.

One of the first and second door holding parts may be hook-like with the other being arranged to locate in the hook. The other of the first and second parts may comprise a pin locatable in the hook-like locking part.

A plurality of said second holding means may be provided. In such a case, the second holding means may be positioned adjacent upper and lower edges of the door.

A system in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- Fig 1 is a diagrammatic elevation of part of a vehicle showing a door which is held in a closed position by a system in accordance with the invention, Fig 2 is a view of part of the door of Fig 1 looking in the direction of arrow H in Fig 1 showing a hinge drawn to a larger scale and Figs 3) and 4 are views similar to Fig 2 but showing the door in partially and fully opened positions respectively.

In Fig 1, a vehicle 10 has an A post 12 on which a door 14 is mounted by means of hinges 16. The door 14 is provided with an openable latch 18 which co-operates with a retainer (not shown) on a B post 19. Upper and lower edges of the door 14 are provided or formed with hook-shaped retainers 20 (see Fig 2) each of which defines a recess 22 for receiving a retaining pin 24 mounted on an adjacent part of the vehicle.

As shown in Fig 2, each hinge 16 comprises first and second spaced apart links 26, 28 connected to the A post 12 by pivots 30, 32 respectively. The opposite end of the link 26 is connected to the door 14 by a pivot 34 and opposite end of the link 28 is connected to the 3 door 14 by a pivot 36. It will be noted that the distance between the pivots 34, 30 is 3 wi al.

slightly greater than the distance between the pivots 2, 36. It 11 so be noted in the Fig 2 position that an imaginary line passing through the pivots 30, 34 is substantially at right angles to the door 14 while an imaginary passing through pivots 32, 36 is inclined. A suitable stop member 38 is provided on the A post 12 which limits the anticlockwise movement of the link 26 about the pivot 30 when the door 14 is in both its closed and open positions.

In the Fig 2 position of the door 14, the latch 18 holds the door closed. In addition, the retaining pins 24 locate in their respective recesses 22. In that way, an outward force applied to the door 14 tending to burst it open, for example in the event of an accident, will be resisted both by the latch 18 and the retaining pins 24.

When the latch 18 is released to enable the door to be opened in the normal way, the arrangement of links 26, 28 initially causes the door to move rearwards in the plane of the door to release the retaining pin 24 from the recess 22 as shown in broken lines in Fig 3. The initial rearward movement of the door 14 is caused by the combined pivotal action of the links 26, 28 about their pivots 30, 32. Continued opening movement of the door 14 to the Fig 3 position causes the link 26 to pivot rearwardly about the pivot 30 and the link 28 to move over centre with respect to the pivot 32 following which the link 26 then begins to pivot forward once more. The final position of the links 26, 28 is shown in Fig 4 with the door fully opened. In that position, the aforesaid imaginary lines passing through the pivot po ints 3 0, 3 3 4 and 3 2, 3 6 lie substantially parallel. The stop 3 8 serves to prevent the link 26 moving forward beyond the Fig 4 position.

To close the door 14, it is pivoted inwards towards the Fig 2 position, the retaining pin 24 entering the recess 22 as the door moves forwards during the final stage of its pivoting movement up to the closed position. As the Fig 2 position is reached, the latch 18 operates to hold the door closed.

Claims

4 Claims

1. A system for holding closed a hinged door of a vehicle, the system comprising a first holding means in the form of releasable latch for holding the door closed after pivoting the door into a closed position and a second holding means comprising a first part on the door spaced from the latch which co-operates with a second part on an adjacent section of the vehicle as a result of moving the door in a fore-and-aft direction substantially in the plane of the door.

2 A system according to claim 1 in which the fore-and-aft movement of the door occurs as the door approaches its closed position.

3 A system according to claim 1 or 2 in which the hinge comprises a plurality of links pivotally mounted, in use, between the door and a door post or other mounting on the vehicle.

4 A system according to claim 3 in which the links are attached, in use, to the door and the door post at spaced apart positions.

A system according to claim in which, during movement of the door from its open position to its closed position or vice versa, one the links may follow a continuous arc in one direction of movement.

6 A system according to claim 5 in which another link undergoes a back and forth arcuate movement during movement of the door from its open position to its closed position or vice versa.

7 A system according to claim 5 or 6 in which two said links are provided.

8 A system according to any of claims 3 to 7 in which each link is pivoted at one end to the door and at its other end to the door post.

9 A system according to any preceding claim in which the second door holding means is positioned adjacent an upper or lower edge of the door.

A system according to claim 9 in which one of the first and second door holding parts is hook-like with the other being arranged to locate in the hook 11 A system according to claim 10 in which the other of the first and second parts comprises a pin locatable in the hook-like locking part.

12 A system according to any preceding claim in which a plurality of said second holding means is provided.

13 A system according to claim 12 in which the second holding means is positioned adjacent upper and lower edges of the door.

14 A system for holding closed a hinged door of a vehicle, the system being constructed and arranged substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings A vehicle door to be held closed by a system according to any preceding claim.

16 A vehicle having a system according to any preceding claim for holding closed a hinged door on the vehicle.