Patent ID: 6687953
Filing Date: 2004-02-10
Classification: E05C,Y10T

Abstract:
A door check device for installation between a motor vehicle body and a motor vehicle door that swings in opposing opening and closing directions relative to the vehicle body, said door check device comprising:a first mounting structure; a second mounting structure, said first mounting structure being constructed and arranged to be mounted on one of the vehicle door and the vehicle body and said second mounting structure being constructed and arranged to be mounted on the other of the vehicle door and the vehicle body such that said first and second mounting structures move relative to one another as the door is swung in the opposing opening and closing directions thereof relative to the vehicle body; an elongated link member having a detent provided on an intermediate portion thereof; first and second spaced apart cooperating structures extending essentially parallel to one another and essentially perpendicular to a longitudinal extent of said link member, said link member being received between said cooperating structures with said cooperating structures engaging opposing sides of said link member; said link member being carried by said first mounting structure and said cooperating structures being carried by said second mounting structure such that said link member and said cooperating structures move relative to one another as the door is swung in the opposing opening and closing directions thereof relative to the vehicle body; a spring structure having first and second resilient torsionally deflectable biasing portions spaced apart and torsionally isolated from one another such that transmission of torsional stress between said biasing portions is substantially prevented, said biasing portions being oriented essentially parallel to said first and second cooperating structures; said first cooperating structure being connected to said first torsionally deflectable biasing portion and said second cooperating structure being connected to said second torsionally deflectable biasing portion such that (a) said first resilient torsionally deflectable biasing portion applies a biasing force to bias said first cooperating structure into engagement with one opposing side of said link member and said second resilient torsionally deflectable biasing portion applies a biasing force to bias said second cooperating structure into engagement with the other opposing side of said link member and (b) movement of said first and second cooperating structures generally apart from one another individually torsionally deflects said first and second biasing portions so as to individually increase torsional stress within said biasing portions and thereby increase the respective biasing forces applied by said biasing portions; said first and second cooperating structures being constructed and arranged such that, when the vehicle door is swung to a checked position with respect to the vehicle body, one of said first and second cooperating structures is received within said detent in a cooperating relationship to maintain the vehicle door at the checked position until a force is applied to the door sufficient to cause said link member to move relative to said cooperating structures so as to urge said cooperating structures generally apart from one another against the biasing of said torsionally deflectable biasing portions and move said one cooperating structure out of said detent.