Abstract:
A vehicle door resilient wedge system includes a resilient wedge body coupled to a receiving element. The body includes engagement and second surfaces, and opposed convex ends integrally joining the surfaces. Inwardly extending portions of both surfaces create internal body cavities. A passageway interconnects the cavities which permits wedge elastic deflection.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/676,908, filed on May 2, 2005. The disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0002]     The present disclosure relates in general to vehicle door displacement and anti-chucking devices and more specifically to a resilient wedge device and method for assembling a vehicle door resilient wedge device.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0003]     Vehicles including automobile sport utility vehicles, station wagons, mini-vans, cross-over vehicles, cargo vans and trucks often provide an access door, commonly known as a lift-gate door. Other similar door designs include hatchback doors, sliding doors and horizontally swinging doors. Although these door designs can be mounted differently, for simplicity, these door designs will hereinafter be summarized in reference to lift-gate doors. Lift-gate doors are frequently hinged along an upper horizontal surface, and latch adjacent to a flooring system of the automobile, commonly adjacent to the rear fender of the automobile. One or more latches can be used. The side edges of lift-gate doors are generally not hinged or physically connected to the vehicle structure or support posts at the rear of the vehicle. Motion of the vehicle therefore can result in “match-boxing”, or non-parallel deflection of the support posts relative to the squared sides of the lift-gate door. Match-boxing is undesirable for several reasons. First, side-to-side or non-parallel motion of support posts can impart additional vehicle noise, known as “chucking” at the lift-gate latch as the vehicle travels along rough or uneven surfaces. Second, unless a mechanism is positioned between the lift-gate door edge and the support posts of the vehicle, full structural allowance for the stiffness of the lift-gate cannot be used in the design of the support structure area.  
         [0004]     In order to include the stiffness of the lift-gate door in the analysis and design of structural support posts, relatively rigid normally plastic wedge assemblies having movable slides have been used which displace to span the gap between the lift-gate door and the support post. These assemblies reduce match-box deflection of the support posts by transferring some deflection load to the lift-gate door using wedge assemblies generally positioned between each support post and the lift-gate door. The wedge assembly can be fastened to either or both edges of the lift-gate door or to an edge of one or both of the support posts. In a further known design, a slide assembly is positioned against each lift-gate door side edge and a striker plate is separately mounted to each support post such that the slide engages the striker plate to limit match-boxing of the support posts.  
         [0005]     Common designs for wedge assemblies have several problems. First, vehicle raffling noise is produced if the slide is not maintained in continuous contact with the striker plate (or vehicle support post) throughout the travel length of the slide. Tolerances used for common wedge assembly slides permit easy translation, but can result in rattling between the parts during vehicle travel. Second, vehicle manufacturing tolerances can result in positions of non-contact between the slide and the striker plate (or vehicle support post). If the slide is not maintained in contact with the vehicle support post or striker plate, rattling can occur. Third, contaminants such as dirt which contact portions of the wedge assembly can prevent the slide from moving freely, thus resulting in increased chucking or rattling noise.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0006]     According to one embodiment of a resilient wedge for a vehicle door wedge assembly of the present disclosure, the hard plastic wedge of known wedge systems is replaced with a resilient wedge system including a body having an engagement surface with a first extending portion directed inwardly with respect to the body from the engagement surface. A second surface is opposed to the engagement surface, the second surface is oriented at an angle with respect to the engagement surface. The second surface includes a second extending portion directed inwardly from the second surface and toward the first extending portion. Opposed ends integrally join the engagement surface to the second surface. The first and second extending portions define opposed internal cavities of the body. The internal cavities are interconnected by a passageway positioned between the first and second extending portions. The passageway is narrower than the internal cavities and permits elastic deflection of the first extending portion toward the second extending portion.  
         [0007]     According to another aspect of the disclosure, a vehicle door resilient wedge system includes a receiving element having a mating face and a receiving ramp positioned opposite to the mating face. The receiving ramp continuously slopes further away from the mating face between a ramp first end and a ramp second end. An elastically deflectable wedge body engageable with the receiving element in an installed condition includes an engagement surface slidingly received by the receiving ramp. A second surface is opposed to the engagement surface. The second surface is oriented at an angle with respect to the engagement surface. Opposed ends integrally join the engagement surface to the second surface.  
         [0008]     According to yet another aspect of the disclosure, a method for assembling a vehicle door wedge assembly is provided. According to yet still another aspect, a method for creating an elastically deformable wedge for a vehicle door-to-body engagement system is provided.  
         [0009]     A resilient wedge of the present disclosure offers several advantages. By replacing the rigid plastic wedge of common anti-chucking wedge assemblies with a slide-in resilient wedge capable of elastic deformation of the present disclosure, a noise transmission path through the wedge assembly is at least partially attenuated. The resilient wedge also limits match-boxing by its capability to elastically deflect while maintaining continuous contact with either the vehicle door or structural post of the vehicle. The resilient wedge of the present disclosure is a one-piece element which therefore does not require a separate biasing device such as a spring to permit its deflection, which reduces complexity and costs of the design. A one piece resilient wedge of a thermo-plastic or polymeric material also is resistant to the detrimental affects from exposure to moisture and/or dirt.  
         [0010]     Further areas of applicability of the present disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating several embodiments of the disclosure, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]     The present disclosure will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a rear elevational view of a vehicle having resilient wedge assemblies of the present disclosure;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is a front perspective view of a resilient wedge of the present disclosure installed in an exemplary wedge assembly;  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is a side elevational view of the resilient wedge of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  is an end elevational view of the resilient wedge of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 5  is a top plan view of the resilient wedge of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0017]      FIG. 6  is a front perspective view of an exemplary wedge assembly body;  
         [0018]      FIG. 7  is an elevational perspective view showing a typical installation of a resilient wedge assembly of the present disclosure into a door frame of a vehicle;  
         [0019]      FIG. 8  is a side elevational view of another embodiment of the resilient wedge of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0020]      FIG. 9  is a plan view of the resilient wedge of  FIG. 8  taken at view  9 - 9  of  FIG. 8 ;  
         [0021]      FIG. 10  is a cross sectional end elevational view taken at section  10 - 10  of  FIG. 8 ; and  
         [0022]      FIG. 11  is a side elevational view of yet another embodiment of the resilient wedge of  FIG. 2 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0023]     The following description of several embodiments is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the disclosure, its application, or uses.  
         [0024]     Referring generally to  FIG. 1 , a vehicle  10  includes a rear lift-gate door  11  positioned between both a left support post  12  and a right support post  13  of vehicle  10 . A latch  14  is generally provided about mid span along a bottom edge of rear lift-gate door  11 . Side edges of rear lift-gate door  11  adjacent to left support post  12  and right support post  13 , respectively, are generally not latched or otherwise connectable to left support post  12  or right support post  13 .  
         [0025]     According to one aspect of a resilient wedge for an anti-chucking wedge assembly of the present disclosure, and referring generally to  FIG. 2 , a resilient wedge  15  of an elastomeric material such as, but not limited to a thermo-plastic elastomer, rubber, neoprene, silicon rubber, a block copolymer material, or other elastically deformable polymeric material(s) is connected to a wedge support member  17 . Resilient wedge  15  is slidably received in the direction of installation arrow “A” between first and second channel walls  18  and  19  to engage resilient wedge  15  with support member  17  in the engaged position shown. A first end  20  of resilient wedge  15  abuts a contact wall  22  of support member  17  in the engaged position. An engagement member  24  extending outwardly from a second end  25  of resilient wedge  15  is partially received by opposing first and second flanges  26 ,  27  of support member  17 . To retain resilient wedge  15  in the engaged position, engagement member  24  contacts one of a plurality of raised ribs  28 . Raised ribs  28  are created on a ramp  30  of support member  17  and are positioned substantially parallel to and substantially equidistantly spaced with respect to each other. Ramp  30  slopes upwardly (as viewed in  FIG. 2 ) from an end face  29  of support member  17  continuously toward contact wall  22 .  
         [0026]     Referring now generally to  FIGS. 3 through 5 , resilient wedge  15  includes a body  31  having an engagement surface  32  and an oppositely positioned second or exposed surface  34 . Second surface  34  is oriented at an angle α with respect to engagement surface  32 . According to one aspect of the present disclosure, angle α is approximately 19.6°. Wedge first end  20  includes a first wall  36 , and second end  25  includes a second wall  37 . In several aspects of the present disclosure, each of first wall and second wall  36 ,  37  have a wall thickness “B” of approximately 3.0 mm.  
         [0027]     A first extending portion  38  extends inwardly from second surface  34 . A second extending portion  40  extends inwardly from engagement surface  32  and generally toward first extending portion  38 . A passageway  42  is defined between distal ends of each of first and second extending portions  38 ,  40 . In one aspect of the disclosure, passageway  42  has a passageway opening depth “C” of approximately 1.5 mm. First and second extending portions  38 ,  40  together define each of a first internal cavity  44  and a second internal cavity  46  having passageway  42  in open communication between them. First and second walls  36 ,  37  are preferably created having a convex shape curving outwardly with respect to first and second internal cavities  44 ,  46 . The convex shape of first and second walls  36 ,  37  permit elastic displacement of first extending portion  38  towards second extending portion  40  until a first contact face  47  of first extending portion  38  contacts a second contact face  48  of second extending portion  40 . Following elastic deformation, second surface  34  returns elastically to the general position shown in  FIG. 3 .  
         [0028]     Second contact face  48  is oriented at an angle β with respect to engagement surface  32 . First contact face  47  is oriented substantially parallel to second contact face  48 . This geometry of first and second contact faces  47 ,  48  also permits first extending portion  38  to displace in the direction of displacement arrows “H” either before or after contact between first and second contact faces  47 ,  48 .  
         [0029]     First and second flanges  50 ,  51  extend outwardly from a first and a second side  61 ,  62  of body  31 . The purpose of first and second flanges  50 ,  51  is to provide additional engagement of resilient wedge  15  with each of first and second flanges  26 ,  27  of wedge support member  17 . First flange  50  further includes a first tapering portion  52  and second flange  51  correspondingly includes a second tapering portion  53 . Each of first and second tapering portions  52 ,  53  have a distal end face  54  proximate to a distal surface  56 . First and second tapering portions  52 ,  53  also help support engagement member  24 . Engagement member  24  further includes an engagement member face  58  and an outer corner  60  which substantially aligns with end face  29  when resilient wedge  15  is fully installed on wedge support member  17 .  
         [0030]     In one aspect of the present disclosure, end face  54  has a face height “E” of approximately 2.0 mm. Engagement member  24  extends beyond end face  54  by an extension length “F” of approximately 4.3 mm. An engagement member face height “G” is approximately 3.5 mm. A total engagement member width “J” is approximately 21.4 mm and a body width “K” is approximately 15.1 mm. Each of first and second tapering portions  52 ,  53  have an individual flange element width “L” of approximately 3.2 mm. According to this aspect of the present disclosure, contact face angle β is approximately 7°.  
         [0031]     First and second flanges  50 ,  51  extend outwardly as noted from each of first and second sides  61 ,  62  and extend longitudinally approximately two-thirds of a total length of body  31 . The length of extension of first and second flanges  50 ,  51  can be varied by the designer without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The shape of each of first and second internal cavities  44 ,  46  and passageway  42  can also vary from that shown herein without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.  
         [0032]     As best seen in reference to  FIG. 6 , wedge support member  17  according to one aspect of the disclosure includes a support member end face  64 . Ramp  30  is divided into each of a first ramp extension  66  and a second ramp extension  68 . The plurality of raised ribs  28  continue along each of first and second ramp extensions  66 ,  68 . Wedge support member  17  further includes a first wing member  70  and a second wing member  72 . A first clearance aperture  74  is positioned in first wing member  70  and a second clearance aperture  76  is positioned in second wing member  72 . A contact face  78  is provided to engage wedge support member  17  with a surface of vehicle  10 .  
         [0033]     Wedge support member  17  further includes a first clearance gap  80  proximate to and running substantially parallel with first flange  26 . Similarly, a second clearance gap  82  is positioned proximate to and running substantially parallel to second flange  27 . First and second flanges  50 ,  51  and engagement member  24  are slidably received within each of first and second clearance gaps  80 ,  82  when resilient wedge  15  is slidably engaged in installation direction “A”. First and second ramp extensions  66 ,  68  are each substantially equally spaced from a ramp longitudinal axis  84 . Each of first and second ramp extensions  66 ,  68  end at a ramp second end  85  defining contact wall  22 . In the aspect shown in  FIG. 6 , first wing member  70  is substantially smaller than second wing member  72 . First and second wing members  70 ,  72  can also be substantially equally sized or first wing member  70  can be larger than second wing member  72 . By changing the geometry of first or second wing members  70 ,  72  a right hand or left hand configuration of wedge support member  17  can be provided. The disclosure is therefore not limited to the geometry of wedge support member  17  shown but can be used for a plurality of geometries of wedge support member  17 .  
         [0034]     Resilient wedge  15  is intended to replace the sliding hard plastic wedges of previous anti-chucking wedge assemblies. For example, resilient wedge  15  of the present disclosure can be used to replace slide element  14  and spring element  18  in the assembly identified in U.S. Pat. No. 4,932,100 issued to Flowers et al. on Jun. 12, 1990, which is commonly owned by the assignee of the present disclosure.  
         [0035]     For simplicity, discussion of the present disclosure refers in general to resilient wedge assemblies  16  connected to right support post  13 . Wedge assemblies  16  of the present disclosure are not limited to specific installation locations, and can be connected to left support post  12  or other component parts including the sides, top, or bottom of rear lift-gate door  11  of vehicle  10  or to similar door or door support structure of vehicle  10 . A striker (not shown) can be mounted opposite to resilient wedge  15  on the directly opposing vehicle component to contact resilient wedge  15 , or resilient wedge  15  can directly contact the surface of the directly opposing vehicle component. Wedge assemblies  16  of the present disclosure can be “non-handed” for general interchangeable use or can be configured in “left hand” and/or “right hand” configurations at the discretion of the designer.  
         [0036]     Referring now to  FIG. 7 , an exemplary installation of resilient wedge assembly  16  abuts wedge support member  17  against a receiving area  86  of right support post  13  with resilient wedge  15  oriented away from right support post  13 . Receiving area  86  is shown as a stamped or recessed area prelocated on right support post  13 , but can be any suitable surface. Receiving area  86  includes each of a first and a second fastener engagement aperture  88 ,  90 . A pair of fasteners  92  and  94  of metal or other known material, including screws, self-tapping screws, self-tapping bolts, or the like are inserted through each of first clearance aperture  74  and second clearance aperture  76 , respectively, to threadably engage with first and second fastener engagement apertures  88 ,  90 . Pre-installed or pre-molded nuts (not shown) can also be used in place of the engagement apertures.  
         [0037]     Referring now to  FIGS. 8 through 10 , a resilient wedge  100  is modified from resilient wedge  15  to reduce part shrinkage during molding and to provide for moisture drainage to prevent freezing during cold weather application. First extending portion  38  can be modified to include first and second opposed partial cavity pairs  102 ,  102 ′ and  104 ,  104 ′. First and second opposed partial cavity pairs  102 ,  102 ′ and  104 ,  104 ′ are separated by a common wall  106  and act to remove material from first extending portion  38  to reduce part shrinkage during production of resilient wedge  100 . Because first and second opposed partial cavity pairs  102 ,  102 ′ and  104 ,  104 ′ are used, a first through aperture  108  joining first opposed partial cavity pairs  102 ,  102 ′ is provided and a second through aperture  110  joins second opposed partial cavity pairs  104 ,  104 ′. First and second through apertures  108 ,  110  help drain fluid which may be present in any of first and second opposed partial cavity pairs  102 ,  102 ′ and  104 ,  104 ′ to prevent the fluid from freezing during cold weather conditions of operation.  
         [0038]     Second extending portion  40  is similarly provided with third and fourth opposed partial cavity pairs  112 ,  112 ′ and  114 ,  114 ′ and third and fourth through apertures  118 ,  120  respectively, which serve the same functions as noted above. A second common wall  116  separates third and fourth opposed partial cavity pairs  112 ,  112 ′ and  114 ,  114 ′. First and second opposed partial cavity pairs  102 ,  102 ′ and  104 ,  104 ′, and third and fourth opposed partial cavity pairs  112 ,  112 ′ and  114 ,  114 ′ are substantially oppositely positioned with respect to a resilient wedge longitudinal axis  122 , and a resilient wedge vertical axis  124 .  
         [0039]     A depth and size of each of first and second opposed partial cavity pairs  102 ,  102 ′ and  104 ,  104 ′, as well as third and fourth opposed partial cavity pairs  112 ,  112 ′, and  114 ,  114 ′ can also be controlled. This depth and size control helps predetermine the amount of deflection or compression that each of first and second extending portions  38 ,  40  can accept when first contact face  47  contacts second contact face  48 . The geometry of first and second extending portions  38 ,  40  can also be modified to predetermine the amount of deflection or compression that each of first and second extending portions  38 ,  40  can accept.  
         [0040]     Referring now to  FIG. 11 , in several embodiments a resilient wedge  126  is modified from resilient wedge  100 . Resilient wedge  126  includes an engagement member  128  having a tapering portion  130  extending therefrom. Tapering portion  130  includes an end face  132 . A curved outer wall  134  encloses first and second internal through cavities  135 ,  136 . An inner first wall  138  and an inner second wall  140  define first and second contact faces  142 ,  144  between which a passageway  146  opens between the first and second through cavities  135 ,  136 . A junction area  148  is created between outer wall  134 , first wall  138  and a column portion  150 . Column portion  150  is oriented at an angle to a base wall  152  and includes a column thickness “M”. A neck region  154  is created between column portion  150  and junction area  148  by a curved surface  156 . A neck region wall thickness “N” is smaller than column thickness “M”, therefore permitting neck region  154  to deflect relative to column  150 . A neck region  157  similar to neck region  154  can also be created between column portion  150  and an extending portion  158 . The extending portion  158  is an extension of base wall  152  and extends away from column  150  by a dimension “P”. Similar to resilient wedge  100 , resilient wedge  126  can include a first partial cavity  160  having a through aperture  162  and a second partial cavity  164  with a through aperture  166 .  
         [0041]     A resilient wedge of the present disclosure offers several advantages. By replacing the rigid plastic wedge of common anti-chucking wedge assemblies with a slide-in resilient wedge of the present disclosure capable of elastic deformation, a noise transmission path through the wedge assembly is at least partially attenuated. The resilient wedge also limits match-boxing by its capability to elastically deflect while maintaining continuous contact with either the vehicle door or structural post of the vehicle. The resilient wedge of the present disclosure is a one-piece element which therefore does not require a separate biasing device such as a spring to permit its deflection, which reduces complexity and costs of the assembly. A one piece resilient wedge of a thermo-plastic or polymeric material also is resistant to the detrimental affects from exposure to moisture and/or dirt.  
         [0042]     The description of the disclosure is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the disclosure are intended to be within the scope of the disclosure. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.