Slide door temporary setting jig for vehicle paintwork or interior work

A vehicle slide door temporary setting jig includes a door position holding mechanism for holding a slide door in a desired angular position relative to a vehicle body. The door position holding mechanism has an end extension of one link lever of a linkage projecting beyond an associated link pin, an arcuate guide member pivoted to the free end of an attachment frame and configured to define a path of movement of a tip end portion of the end extension as the link lever turns about the link pin, and a resilient member acting between the free end of the attachment frame and the arcuate guide member and resiliently urging the arcuate guide member against the tip end portion of the end extension.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an improvement in a jig used for temporarily setting a slide door to a vehicle body for facilitating vehicle paintwork or interior work.

BACKGROUND ART

Motor vehicles having a rear door formed into a slidable construction are known and widely used heretofore. In the manufacture of such vehicles equipped with slide doors, a slide door and a vehicle body are initially produced separately and they are brought together in a painting process for securing color matching therebetween. In the painting process, various jigs are used so that the slide door can be temporarily set to a desired position relative to the vehicle body.

One example of such slide door temporary setting jigs is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication (JP-A) No. 2001-205150. The disclosed jig, as shown here inFIGS. 6 and 7, includes a bar-like first attachment portion102having one end adapted to be removably connected to a vehicle body101, a first bracket103pivotally connected at a central portion thereof to the other end of the first attachment portion102, a first link arm104pivotally connected at one end thereof to one end of the first bracket103, a second link arm105pivotally connected at one end thereof to the other end of the first bracket103, a second bracket106to which other ends of the first and second link arms104and105are pivotally connected, and a second attachment portion107firmly connected to an end of the second bracket106and adapted to be removably connected to a slide door108. The first bracket103, the first link arm104, the second link arm105and the second bracket106jointly form a quadrilateral linkage.

During the painting process, the slide door108is held in a closed position shown inFIG. 6, in which a front end of the slide door108is slightly displaced or offset in a lateral outward direction from a side surface of the vehicle body101so that a liquid paint used in the painting process can be easily removed from the interior side of the vehicle body through an opening defined between the front end of the slide door108and an adjacent edge of the vehicle body101.

To enable a human operator to perform a vehicle interior work, the slide door108is moved in a rightward direction ofFIG. 6whereupon by virtue of displacement of the quadrilateral linkage, the slide door pivotally moves from the closed position ofFIG. 6to a fully opened position ofFIG. 7, in which the slide door108opens at substantially right angles to the side surface of the vehicle body101. In this position, an opening-motion limit pin109provided on the second link arm105in confronting relation to the first link arm104is brought into contact with the first link arm104so that further movement of the first link arm104in a rightward direction inFIG. 7does not take place. Furthermore, a closing-motion limit pin112is inserted in a retainer hole111formed in the second link arm105so that the first link arm104is prevented from moving in a leftward direction inFIG. 7. Thus, the slide door108is locked in the fully opened position ofFIG. 7.

The conventional jig100of the foregoing construction is, however, not fully satisfactory in that due to the necessity of removable insertion of the closing-motion limit pin112into the retainer hole111, the jig100renders the slide door setting operation tedious and time-consuming. Furthermore, since the closing-motion limit pin112is produced as a separate part structurally independent from a body of the jig100, there is a certain risk of missing the pin112. Moreover, the jig100has no means of holding the slide door in any desired open position located between the closed position ofFIG. 6and the fully opened position ofFIG. 7.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle slide door temporary setting jig which is easy to handle, can perform a slide door temporary setting operation efficiently in a relatively short period of time, and is capable of holding a slide door in a given angular position relative to the vehicle body.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, there is provided a vehicle slide door temporary setting jig comprising: an attachment frame having a fixed end removably connectable to a center pillar of a vehicle body and a free end opposite the fixed end; a non-parallel linkage pivotally connected to the free end of the attachment frame for undergoing pivotal movement in a horizontal plane, the linkage including a pair of laterally spaced link levers pivotally connected at one end to the free end of the attachment frame by means of link pins; a slide door attachment seat pivotally connected to an end of the linkage remote from the free end of the attachment frame, the slide door attachment seat being removably connectable to a slide door; and a door position holding mechanism for holding the slide door in a desired angular position relative to the vehicle body, the door position holding mechanism having an end extension of one of the link levers projecting beyond an associated one of the link pins, an arcuate guide member pivotally connected at one end to the free end of the attachment frame and configured to define a path of movement of a tip end portion of the end extension as the one link lever turns about the associated link pin, and a resilient member acting between the free end of the attachment frame and the arcuate guide member and resiliently urging the arcuate guide member against the tip end portion of the end extension.

With this arrangement, due to a frictional force acting between the arcuate guide member and the distal end portion of the end extension under the effect of the resiliency or spring force of the resilient member, the slide door can be held at a given angular position relative to the vehicle body without using a separate locking means such as a motion-limit pin112as required in the conventional jig previously discussed with reference toFIGS. 6 and 7. The jig is easy to handle and able to perform a slide door temporary setting operation in a relatively short period of time.

The arcuate guide member may have at least one recess formed in an inner peripheral edge thereof for receiving therein the tip end portion of the end extension. In the case where two recesses are formed in the inner peripheral edge of the arcuate guide member at an interval in a circumferential direction, one recess defines a closed position of the slide door relative to the vehicle body when it receives the tip end portion of the end extension, while the other recess defines a fully opened position of the slide door relative to the vehicle body when it receives the tip end portion of the end extension. Preferably, the at least one recess comprises a semicircular recess, and the tip end portion of the end extension includes a round pin extending parallel to an axis of the associated link pin and receivable in the semicircular recess.

In one preferred form of the invention, the resilient member comprises a tension coil spring having one end connected to the other end of the arcuate guide member.

Preferably, the attachment frame includes a lower attachment plate removably connectable to a lower portion of an inner surface of the center pillar, a lower support member extending horizontally for supporting thereon the lower attachment plate, a lower fork provided on an end of the lower support member, an upper attachment plate removably connectable to an upper portion of the inner surface of the center pillar, an upper support member extending horizontally for supporting thereon the upper attachment plate, an upper fork provided on an end of the upper support member, and a vertical connecting member connecting the lower and upper support members. The slide door attachment seat comprises an upper attachment plate removably connectable to an upper portion of an inner surface of the slide door, a lower attachment plate removably connectable to a lower portion of the inner surface of the slide door, and a vertical connecting member interconnecting the upper and lower attachment plates. The non-parallel linkage is provided in two sets, one being associated with the upper fork and the other with the lower fork, the respective other link levers of the two non-parallel linkage sets being connected together by a vertical connecting member so that the two linkage sets move in synchronism with each other.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

One preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below in greater detail with reference to the accompanying sheets of drawings.

As shown inFIG. 1, a vehicle slide door temporary setting jig10embodying the invention generally comprises an attachment frame30having a fixed end removably connectable to an inside surface of a center pillar22of a vehicle body20and a free end opposite the fixed end, a non-parallel linkage50pivotally connected to the free end of the attachment frame30for undergoing pivotal movement in a horizontal plane, a slide door attachment seat60pivotally connected to an end of the non-parallel linkage50remote from the free end of the attachment frame30and removably connectable to a vehicle slide door70, and a door position holding mechanism80mounted on the attachment frame30for holding the slide door70in a given angular position relative to the vehicle body20.

The non-parallel linkage50has a first link lever52pivotally connected at one end thereof to the free end of the attachment frame30by means of a first link pin51and, at the other end thereof, to the slide door attachment seat60by means of a second link pin54, and a second link lever53laterally spaced from the first link lever52and pivotally connected at one end thereof to the free end of the attachment frame30by means of a first link pin51and, at the other end thereof, to the slide door attachment seat60by means of a second link pin54. The first and second link levers52and53lie in a horizontal plane and the first and second link pins51and54are disposed vertically so that the link levers52,53are pivotally movable about the associated first link levers51in the horizontal plane.

As shown inFIG. 2, the attachment frame30includes a lower attachment plate31disposed vertically and removably connectable to a lower portion of the inner surface of the center pillar22(FIG. 1), a rod-like lower support member32extending horizontally for supporting thereon the lower attachment plate31, a lower fork33provided on one end (right end inFIG. 2) of the lower support member32, a vertical connecting member34extending vertically upward from the other end (left end inFIG. 2) of the lower support member32, a rod-like upper support member35extending horizontally and connected at one end portion thereof (left end portion inFIG. 2) to an upper end of the vertical connecting member34, an upper attachment plate34supported by the upper support member35in a vertical position and removably connectable to an upper portion of the inner surface of the center pillar22(FIG. 1), an upper fork37provided on the other end (right end inFIG. 2) of the upper support member35, and a C-shaped reinforcement member38connected at opposite ends thereof to the upper and lower forks37and33and, at a central portion thereof, to the vertical connecting member34so as to reinforce the attachment frame30.

To ensure removable attachment of the attachment frame30to the center pillar22(FIG. 1) of the vehicle body20, a plurality of fastener members39,41and42are provided on the lower and upper attachment plates31and36. In the illustrated embodiment, the fastener members comprise set pins39receivable in mating positioning holes of the center pillar22, threaded holes41for threaded engagement with bolts to secure the attachment plates31,36to the center pillar22, and a hook42for hooking engagement with a mating part of the center pillar22.

The non-parallel linkage50described above is provided in two sets: one being associated with the lower fork33and the other with the upper fork37. More specifically, in the linkage50associated with the lower fork33, the first and second link levers52and53are connected by the first link pins51to the lower fork33with one end portion of the levers received between respective upper and lower prongs (not designated) of the lower fork33. Similarly, in the linkage50associated with the upper fork37, the first and second link levers52and53are connected by the first link pins51to the upper fork37with one end portion of the levers received between respective upper and lower prongs (not designated) of the upper fork37. The second link lever53of the upper linkage50and the second link lever53of the lower linkage50are connected together by a vertical connecting member55so that the upper and lower linkages50are movable in synchronism with each other.

The slide door attachment seat60is comprised of an upper attachment plate61disposed vertically and removably connectable to an upper portion of an inner surface of the slide door70(FIG. 1), a lower attachment plate62disposed vertically and removably connectable to a lower portion of the inner surface of the slide door70, and a rod-like vertically connecting member63interconnecting the upper and lower attachment plates61and62.

To ensure removable attachment of the slide door attachment seat60to the slide door70, a plurality of fastener members64,65and66are provided on the upper and lower attachment plates61and62. In the illustrated embodiment, the fastener members comprise set pins64receivable in mating positioning holes of the slide door70, threaded holes65for threaded engagement with bolts to secure the attachment plates61,62to the slide door70, and support plates66for abutment with the inner surface of the slide door70.

In the attachment frame30of the foregoing construction, the upper and lower attachment plates36and37form the fixed end of the attachment frame30where the attachment frame30is removably connectable to the center pillar22(FIG. 1) of the vehicle body20. Similarly, free end portions of the upper and lower forks37,33form the free end of the attachment frame30where one end of each linkage50is pivotally connected. The number of the upper attachment plates36,31should by no means be limited to two as in the illustrated embodiment, but only one attachment plate may be used in which instance a single linkage50and a single attachment plate is used in combination with the single upper attachment plate.

As shown inFIG. 3, the door position holding mechanism80comprises an end extension81of the first link lever52projecting beyond the first link pin51, an arcuate guide member83pivotally connected at one end thereof to a distal end portion of the upper fork37by means of a pin85and so configured as to define a path of movement of a tip end portion of the end extension81as the first link lever52turns about the first link pin51, and a resilient member86acting between the upper fork37and the arcuate guide member83and resiliently urging the arcuate guide member83against the distal end portion of the end extension81.

In the illustrated embodiment, the distal end portion of the upper fork37includes a laterally projecting support lug84to which the one end of the arcuate guide member83is connected by the pin85. The distal end portion of the arcuate guide member83includes a round pin82extending parallel to an axis of the first link pin51of the first link lever52for sliding engagement with an inner peripheral edge83aof the arcuate guide member83. The arcuate guide member83has two semicircular recesses87and88formed in the inner peripheral edge83afor receiving therein the round pin82on the distal end portion of the end extension81. The semicircular recesses87and88are angularly spaced a predetermined distance about the first link pin51such that when the slide door70(FIG. 1) is in a closed position relative to the vehicle body20, the pin82on the end extension81is received in the first semicircular recess87, as shown inFIGS. 1 and 3, and when the slide door70is in a fully opened position relative to the vehicle body20, the pin82on the end extension81is received in the second semicircular recess87, as shown inFIG. 4A.

The arcuate guide member83may further have one or more semicircular recesses formed in the inner peripheral edge83athereof at a position located between the first semicircular recess87and the second semicircular recess88. Alternatively, the first and second semicircular recesses87,88may be omitted where appropriate. The resilient member85comprises a tension coil spring connected at one end thereof to a distal end (free end) of the arcuate guide member83and, at the other end thereof, to a relevant part of the upper fork37. The tension coil spring85may be replaced by a rubber band or strip stretched between the distal end of the arcuate guide member37and the upper fork37.

The door position holding mechanism80just described above is provided in conjunction with the upper linkage50. Though not shown, a similar door position holding mechanism is also provided in conjunction with the lower linkage50(FIG. 2). However, the latter-mentioned door position holding mechanism can be omitted because the upper and lower linkages50are arranged to move in synchronism with each other by virtue of the respective second link levers53,53connected together by the vertical connecting member55(FIG. 2).

The vehicle slide door temporary setting jig10of the foregoing construction operates as follows. For purposes of illustration, operation begins with parts shown inFIG. 4Awhere the attachment frame30of the jig10is connected at one end to a center pillar22of the vehicle body20and the pin82on the end extension81of the first link lever52is received in the second semicircular recess88formed in the inner peripheral edge83a(FIG. 3) of the arcuate guide member83. The slide door attachment seat60of the jig10is connected to a slide door70to be painted in combination with the vehicle body20. Since the pin82on the end extension81is received in the second semicircular recess88of the arcuate guide member83, the slide door70attached to the slide door attachment seat60is held in the fully opened position under the resiliency or spring force of the resilient member (tension coil spring)86.

Then, the slide door70is forced or pressed to close a door opening of the vehicle body20in the same manner as a conventional hinged door. This causes the first and second link levers52and53to turn clockwise about the first link pins51,51, as shown inFIG. 4B, during which time the pin82on the end extension81of the first link lever52moves out from the second semicircular recess88against the force of the tension coil spring86and subsequently slides along the inner peripheral edge83a(FIG. 3) of the arcuate guide member83in a rightward direction toward the first semicircular recess87.

When a pressure on the slide door70is removed, the slide door70is held at that angular position (shown inFIG. 4B, for example) due to a frictional force acting between the pin82on the end extension81and the inner peripheral edge83a(FIG. 3) of the arcuate guide member83under the effect of the spring force or resiliency of the tension coil spring (resilient member)88acting in a direction to urge the arcuate guide member83against the pin82.

When the slide door70is forced again toward the vehicle body20, the first and second link levers52and53turn clockwise inFIG. 4Babout the first link pins51,51, causing the pin82to move in fitting engagement with the first semicircular recess87, as shown inFIG. 3. In this instance, the slide door70is in its closed position shown inFIG. 1. Then, a vehicle paintwork is started.

It can be readily appreciated that by virtue of the door position holding mechanism80, the jig10is able to keep the slide door70at a given angular position relative to the vehicle body20between the closed position ofFIG. 1and the fully opened position ofFIG. 4Awithout using a separate locking means such as a motion-limit pin112as required in the conventional jig previously discussed with reference toFIGS. 6 and 7. The jig10is easy to handle and able to perform a slide door temporary setting operation in a relatively short period of time.

FIGS. 5A to 5Care diagrammatical views explanatory of an advantage attainable by the jig10used in conjunction with a vehicle paintwork.

In a vehicle having a slide door70, when the slide door70is in a fully closed position shown inFIG. 55A, a front edge of the slide door70is disposed between an adjacent rear edge of a front portion21of the vehicle body and a center pillar22. If the vehicle paintwork is performed with the slide door70shown in the fully closed position ofFIG. 5A, the front edge portion will remain unpainted.

To avoid this problem, the slide door70is opened by a distance A as shown inFIG. 5Bso that the front edge of the slide door70is located slightly rearward from the adjacent rear edge of the front portion21. Thus, the vehicle paintwork is performed. In this instance, however, since a rear edge of the slide door70overlaps a front end portion of a rear fender23by a distance B, the front end portion of the rear fender23remains unpainted. To deal with this problem, the slide door70is returned to the fully closed position ofFIG. 5A, and the unpainted front end portion of the rear fender23is painted. However, since a portion surrounding the unpainted front end portion of the rear fender23including the rear edge of the slide door70is painted twice, the painted vehicle body would involve color irregularity. Furthermore, the vehicle paintwork requires a relatively long time and higher cost.

According to the invention, by virtue of the slide door temporary setting jig10(FIG. 1), the slide door70is held in the closed position ofFIG. 5Cwhere the slide door70is slightly turned about the rear edge thereof in an outward direction to the extent that the front edge of the slide door70is outwardly displaced from the adjacent rear edge of the vehicle front portion21with a space C defined between itself and the front pillar22. The slide door70does not have any portions overlapped with the front portion21and the rear fender23. Thus, the vehicle body including the slide door can be painted in a single run and hence is evenly colored. Furthermore, the vehicle paintwork requires a relatively short period of time and can be achieved less costly.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

With the arrangements so far described, the present invention can be used advantageously as a vehicle slide door temporary setting jig for setting a slide door in a given angular position relative to a vehicle body for facilitating the vehicle paintwork or interior work.