US3447191A - Door check - Google Patents

Description

June 3, 1969 P 3,447,191

DOOR CHECK Filed March 6, 1967 ale 3 F/G.

INVENTOR. ROBBERT N. PETERS Atty.

United States Patent Int. Cl. Ef 5/02 US. Cl. 1682 20 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This door check combines a torsion bar mounted vertically on the door pillar in the door jamb and a link pivotally mounted at one end on the door and having a hook on its other end arranged to engage a pin on the crank end of the torsion bar for a positive stop in the fully open position of the door. A roller mounted on the link inwardly from the hook end has rolling engagement on a surface of the pillar between a larger roller on the crank end of the torsion bar and the pillar, the smaller roller going from a position on one side of the larger roller in the closed position of the door to a hold-open position on the other side thereof when the hook engages the pin in the open-position of the door, the arrangement being such that there is greater resistance to closing of the door than in the opening thereof.

Summary of the inventiom This combination door check and hold-open device is so compact that it folds in the door jamb. A torsion bar is mounted substantially vertically on the door pillar in the door jamb and has a crank end portion with a vertical pin on the extremity thereof carrying a roller, the torsion bar being preloaded so that the roller tends to bear firmly against the face of the pillar. The door has on its edge portion a recess transversely thereof in which is housed a link pivotally mounted at one end on the door and having a hook on the other end arranged to engage the vertical pin on the torsion bar under the aforesaid roller, a smaller roller mounted on the link inwardly from the hook being arranged to have rolling engagement on the larger roller between it and the face of the pillar to roll from a position on one side of the larger roller in the closed position of the door to a holdopen position on the other side thereof when the hook engages the pin in the open position of the door, greater resistance to closing of the door being afiorded with this construction than in the opening of the door.

This invention relates to a combination door check and hold-open device for use on doors of motor vehicles.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a combination door check and hold-open device in which a torsion bar carrying a roller on a vertical pin on its springable crank end is mounted on one of the door and pillar parts in the small space available between the door and jamb, the crank pin carrying the roller being also arranged when the door reaches fully opened position to limit its movement as a door check by engagement in a hook on the end of one arm of a generally U-shaped link that is pivoted on the other of said door and pillar parts on the cross-portion of the U as its vertical axis, while a second roller carried on the down-turned end of the other arm of the U is arranged to move from a holdopen position on one side of the first mentioned roller in the fully opened position of the door behind the roller to a hold-closed position on the other side of said roller in the closed position of the door, movement of the second roller in both directions giving an assist action to the door both in opening and closing, by virtue of the spring tension in the torsion bar active on the first roller.

Another object is to provide a combination door check and hold-open device of quite compact design adapted to fit neatly in the door jam'b and also be free of rattle, due to the amount of spring pressure exerted on the parts in the closed position of the door.

A further object is to provide a device of the kind mentioned in which all of the operation involves a rolling action as distinguished from a sliding action, whereby wear is reduced to a minimum and quiet and easy operation is assured.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are a face view and plan view, respectively, showing the combination door check and holdopen device of this invention in operation with the door held fully opened, and

FIG. 3 is a plan view like FIG. 2, but showing the door closed, FIGS. 2 and 3 showing in dot-and-da sh lines enough of the door and pillar to make the operation clear.

The same reference numerals are applied to corresponding parts in these three views. iv

Referring to the drawing, an automobile or other motor vehicle in connection with which the present invention is used may comprise a door mounting pillar 10 having a door 11 carried thereon on a pair of vertically spaced hinges 12 and 13 to swing outwardly from the closed position of FIG. 3 to the open position of FIGS. 1 and 2 about a substantially vertical hinging axis defined by the aligned substantially vertical pintles 14 of the two hinges. The combination door check and hold-open device of the present invention is indicated generally by the reference numeral 15, and includes a substantially vertical torsion bar element 16 having a U-shaped lower end portion 17 that is firmly clamped to the flat side face 18 of the pillar 10 by means of a strap 19 welded or otherwise suitably secured to the pillar, as indicated at 20 in FIG. 1. The other end 21 of the torsion bar is in the form of a crank providing a substantially vertical pin 22 on its outer end at a predetermined radial distance from and parallel to the substantially vertical middle twistable portion 23 of the torsion bar, which is supported at its opposite ends on pillar 10 by straps 19 and 19'. The pin 22 carries a roller 24, which, due to the preloading of the torsion bar 16, tends normally to be pressed against the fiat side face 18 of the pillar 10, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2. Cooperating with the torsion bar 16 and its roller 24 for a combination door checking and hold-open action, the generally U- shaped link 25 is disposed substantially horizontally with the cross-portion 26 thereof substantially vertically disposed and pivoted in a bearing 27 provided on the outer end of a bracket 28 that is suitably secured to the edge portion of the door 11 in a recess 29 which extends transversely of the edge portion of the door and is just deep enough to provide room in the door jamb for the combination door check and hold-open device 15 in its folded condition in the closed position of the door, as seen in FIG. 3, and also provides ample operating clearance for said device in the opening and closing of the door. The upper arm 30 of this U-shaped link 25 carries a smaller roller 31 on the downwardly bent vertical outer end 32 thereof, this roller being caged between the upper and lower arms 30 and 33 of said link and being arranged to move from one extreme position (FIG. 3) behind the larger roller 24 in the closed position of the door to the other extreme, which is the hold-open position, in front of the larger roller 24 in the fully opened position of the door, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2. To provide working clearance with respect to the larger roller 24, the arm 30 carries the smaller roller 31 on an offset outer end portion provided by making the arm arcuate in a horizontal plane on a long radius, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, this being, of course, necessary in the closed position of the door where the smaller roller 31 has moved to a position behind the larger roller 24, when the arm 30 is disposed between the roller 24 and the flat face 18 on the pillar 10. The lower arm 33 of the link 25, which is substantially straight, is appreciably longer than the curved upper arm 30 and has a hook 34 formed on its outer end and disposed in a horizontal plane and arranged as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2 to engage the pin 22 on crank 21 under roller 24. The roller 24 is retained between staked portions 35 and 36 on pin 22 against vertical movement out of the horizontal plane of movement of roller 31, so that there will never be any interference with the hooking of the link 25 on the pin 22 when the door is swung to the fully opened position. For a similar reason it may be desirable to provide staked projections 35' and 36 on the vertical portion 26 above and below bearing 27, to limit vertical movement of link 25. The lower arm 33 of the link 25 may be of such a length in relation to that of the upper arm 30 that the hook 34 positively limits door opening movement almost at the same point that the roller 31 assumes its hold-open position, as seen in FIG. 2, or the arm 33 can be provided of a greater length to allow more lost motion. In the fully opened position of the door, roller 24 is in engagement with the fiat face 20 on the pillar and the link 25 exerts a pull substantially in line with the crank 21, as seen in FIG. 2, so that the door 11 is positively limited against any further opening movement regardless of any wind pressure on it or the pressure of a bystander leaning against it.

In operation, the door 11 swings open through nearly ninety degrees from the closed position of FIG. 3 to the fully opened position of FIG. 2. The combination door check and hold-open device has its smaller roller 31 move through a relatively small distance between the larger roller 24 and the fiat face 18 of pillar 10 as it moves from a position behind the roller 24 in FIG. 3 to the holdopen position in front of it shown in FIG. 2'. In the closed position of the door (FIG. 3), roller 24 rests on the curved upper arm 30 of link, thereby insuring freedom from rattle, the torsion bar 16 in this position having its crank end 21 deflected away from the face 18 of pillar 10 to provide added spring pressure. If the hook 34 were spaced farther from roller 31, there would still be a holdopen action but the door could, of course, swing open farther and would be movable in its fully opened position freely through a slightly larger angle limited by the roller 31. It is clear that all of the operation of the present device involves a rolling action for minimum friction and wear, the only appreciable resistance to door opening movement being that resulting from the further spring loading of the torsion bar 16 as the smaller roller 31 wedges its way between the larger roller 24 and the flat face 18 of pillar 10. There is more mechanical advantage in the door opening movement than in the door closing movement, as can easily be seen by comparing FIGS. 2 and 3, the roller 31 having to move roller 24 only slightly in the door opening movement but much farther in the door closing movement and with the roller 24 in a less favorable position relative to roller 31. The spring action of the torsion bar 16 assists the opening of the door once the roller 31 passes a dead-center position with respect to the roller 24, and, of course, this same assist action is at work in the closing of the door when the roller 31 again passes the dead-center position with respect to roller 24 in returning. The fact that the roller 24 is held away from the face 18 of the pillar 10 in the closed position of the door, as seen in FIG. 3, is of importance from the standpoint of preventing rattle when the car is in motion, the torsion bar 16 being loaded beyond its preload condition with roller 24 in engagement with the upper arm 30 of the link 25 holding the roller 31 under spring pressure in engagement with the flat face 18 of the pillar 10.

While the device 15 has been described as having its torsion bar element 16 mounted on the door pillar 10 and the link 25 as mounted on the door 11, it should be clear from a study of FIGS. 2 and 3 that the arrangement could be reversed. In other words, the part numbered 11 could be the pillar, and the part numbered 10 the door.

While I have disclosed the device 15 as utilizing spring steel Wire on both the pillar and door mounted parts 16 and 25, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to wire construction, inasmuch as stamped and formed sheet metal parts may be used, the door link 25 being especially well adapted for such construction.

It is believed the foregoing description conveys a good understanding of the objects and advantages of my invention.

I claim:

1. A combination check and hold-open for door and body members comprising an elongated generally U- shaped check link having two arms of different lengths with a hook on the outer end of the longer arm serving as a positive limit stop, the shorter arm carrying a first roller on its outer end rotatable on a substantially vertical axis, means for mounting said check link on one of said members for pivotal movement in a substantially horizontal plane, and an elongated torsion bar mounted substantially vertically on the other of said members, the bar having a crank on one end with a substantially vertical pin on its free end on which a second roller is rotatable on a substantially vertical axis, said hook being engageable with said pin to limit door opening movement, said first roller rollably engaging said second roller and moving in the door opening movement from a position on one side of said second roller to a position on the other side thereof to serve a hold-open function.

2. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein the torsion bar has a preload spring tension therein.

3. A structure as set forth in claim 2 wherein the first roller in moving from the one position to the other is arranged to wedge its way between the second roller and a surface on the member on which the torsion bar is mounted thereby stressing said torsion bar above its preload tension.

4. A structure as set forth in claim 2 wherein the first roller in moving from the one position to the other is arranged to wedge its way between the second roller and a surface on the member on which the torsion bar is mounted, thereby stressing said torsion bar above its preload tension, the link in the closed position of the door member maintaining said torsion bar stressed somewhat above its preload tension.

5. A structure as set forth in claim 2 wherein the first roller in moving from the one position to the other is arranged to wedge its way between the second roller and a surface on the member on which the torsion bar is mounted, thereby stressing said torsion bar above its preload tension, the short arm carrying the first roller having an offset portion intermediate its ends which in the closed position of the door lies between the second roller and the member on which the torsion bar is mounted.

6. A structure as set forth in claim 1 including means for supporting said second roller on said crank pin in a plane above the horizontal plane of the arm carrying the hook on its outer end, so that the hook can engage the pin below the second roller.

7. A structure as set forth in claim 1 including a radial projection on said crank pin for supporting said second roller in a plane above the horizontal plane of the arm carrying the hook on its outer end, so that the hook can engage the pin below the second roller.

8. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said torsion bar and said check link together with said first and second rollers are in the closed position of the door disposed substantially completely in the door jamb between the edge portion of the door member and the opposed face of the body member.

9. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said torsion bar and said check link together with said first and second rollers are in the closed position of the door disposed substantially completely in the door jamb between the edge portion of the door member and the opposed face of body member, the link and torsion bar crank being hooked together and disposed in substantially endwise alignment when the door is open.

10. A combination check and hold-open for door and body members comprising an elongated check link having a hook on the outer end serving as a positive limit stop, means defining a first rounded enlargement on said link intermediate its ends, means for mounting said check link on one of said members for pivotal movement in a substantially horizontal plane, and an elongated torsion bar mounted substantially vertically on the other of said members, the bar having a crank on one end with a substantially vertical pin on its free end having means defining a second rounded enlargement thereon, said hook being engageable with said pin to limit door opening movement, said first rounded enlargement engaging said second rounded enlargement and moving in the door opening movement from a position on one side of said second rounded enlargement to a position on the other side thereof to serve a hold-open function.

11. A structure as set forth in claim wherein the torsion bar has a preload spring tension therein.

12. A structure as set forth in claim 11 wherein the first rounded enlargement in moving from the one position to the other is arranged to wedge its way between the second rounded enlargement and a surface on the member on which the torsion bar is mounted, thereby stressing said torsion bar above its preload tension.

13. A structure as set forth in claim 11 wherein the first rounded enlargement in moving from the one position to the other is arranged to wedge its way between the second rounded enlargement and a surface on the member on which the torsion bar is mounted, therebv stressing said torsion bar above its preload tension, the link in the closed position of the door and body members maintaining said torsion bar stress somewhat above its preload tension.

14. A structure as set forth in claim 11 wherein the first rounded enlargement in moving from the one position to the other is arranged to wedge its way between the second rounded enlargement and a surface on the member on which the torsion bar is mounted, thereby stressing said torsion bar above its preload tension, the link having an offset portion intermediate the ends thereof which in the closed position of the door lies between the second rounded enlargement and the member on which the torsion bar is mounted.

15. A structure as set forth in claim 10 wherein said torsion bar and said check link together with said first and second rounded enlargements are in the closed position of the door disposed substantially completely in the door jamb between the edge portion of the door member and the opposed face of the body member.

16. A structure as set forth in claim 10 wherein said torsion bar and said check link together with said first and second rounded enlargements are in the closed position of the door disposed substantially completely in the door jamb between the edge portion of the door member and the opposed face of the body member, the link and torsion bar crank being hooked together and disposed in substantially endwise alignment when the door is fully opened.

17. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first roller is of smaller diameter than the second roller.

18. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first roller is of smaller diameter than the second roller, the parts being so arranged relative to one another as to set up greater resistance to door closing than to door opening.

19. A structure as set forth in claim 10 wherein the first rounded enlargement is of smaller diameter than the second rounded enlargement.

20. A structure as set forth in claim 10 wherein the first rounded enlargement is of smaller diameter than the second rounded enlargement, the parts being so arranged relative to one another as to set up greater resistance to door closing than to door opening.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,535,668 4/1925 Jostedt a 1682 X 2,140,958 12/1938 Jacobs 1682 2,675,578 4/ 1954 Atwood et al. 16-85 2,779,050 1/1957 Semar 1682 2,787,019 4/1957 Galla 16-85 3,065,497 11/1962 Faber 16-142 3,153,260 10/1964 Gionet 16-145 X 3,165,777 1/1965 Peras 1685 BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner. I. L. KOHNEN, Assistant Examiner.

Images