DOOR CHECKS FOR VEHICLES

Abstract: A door check for vehicles comprises a housing (1) which houses a restraining mechanism (7) for applying a frictional restraining force to a strap (4) acting as the check. The housing (1) comprises a first component (10) for attachment to a door (2), a second component (11) in the form of a block, and locking means for securing the two components together. One of the components, preferably of metal, is of channel section having side flanges (17), and the other component, which is preferably of synthetic plastics, has side edges received between the flanges.

Description: DOOR CHECKS FOR VEHICLES This invention relates to door checks for vehicles of the kind in which an arm in the form of a strap adapted to be pivotally connected at one end to a door frame is withdrawn through a housing mounted on a complementary part of the door against a restraining force applied to the strap by the frictional co-operation with the strap of a restraining mechanism housed within the housing. Hitherto in known door checks of the kind set forth the housings are of metal construction. They are therefore relatively heavy and relatively expensive to produce. According to one aspect of our invention in a door check of the kind set forth the housing comprises a first component in the form of a metal base plate for attachment to a vehicle door, a second component in the form of a block provided with a cavity facing the base plate and in which the restraining mechanism is housed, one of the components being of generally channel section having side flanges in which side edges of the other component are received, and locking means co-operating with the two components to secure them together against separation. By constructing the base plate from metal, to provide a firm mounting, and the block from synthetic plastics material, the major portion of the housing is therefore constructed from plastics material which reduces weight without any significant loss of strength. In addition manufacture and assembly is facilitated since the block may comprise a one-piece plastics moulding which is cheap to produce in large quantities and in which tolerances can be maintained within close limits. The side flanges may extend between opposite ends of the component. When the side flanges are provided in the-- metal plate, the plate may also be provided with end flanges which co-operate with the ends of the component of plastics material. This strengthens the housing and takes the loads applied to the component of plastics material from the restraining mechanism. When the side flanges are provided on the metal plate each flange may be formed with axially spaced apertures adapted to receive complementary lugs projecting from opposite sides of the block and which define the locking means as the flanges are deformed relatively towards each other to embrace opposite sides of the block. During the assembly of a vehicle the door checks are normally fitted after main paint treatment so that the door checks are not subjected to high oven temperatures, usually about 200°C. However they do have to pass through a paint repair system which entails the outer skins of the doors being low temperature heated with heat lamps. Thus the checks may be subjected to temperatures substantially of 65°C which should not cause differential expansion between the two different materials to take place to an extent sufficient to cause problems, specifically to overcome the effect of the locking means. In another construction of door check of the kind set forth the first component is in the form of a metal base plate of generally channel section for attachment to a vehicle door, and the side edges of a second component in the form of a block are received within the channel, the components being provided a cavity facing the base plate and in which the restraining mechanism is housed, and the components being provided with external longitudinally extending undercut ribs which are juxta-posed when the block is received in the channel, and each pair of ribs is received within clip which comprises locking means to secure the two components against separation. At high temperatures, say in the order of 95°C, any differential expansion between the materials of the components, with the block expanding to a greater extend than the metal, will be compensated for by flexure of the clip. Preferably the clips are of spring steel and substantially of C section. The ribs may extend between opposite ends of the components to receive one or more clips. When more than one clip is used, the clips are equally spaced along the length of the housing. Alternatively the ribs may comprise superimposed local projections with one clip co-operating with each superimposed pair of projections. Two embodiments of our invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:- Figure 1 is a section through a door assembly for a vehicle including a plan of a door check; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the door check; Figure 3 is an end elevation of the door check; Figure 4 is a side elevation of a base plate of a housing for the door check; Figure 5 is an end elevation of the base plate; Figure 6 is a side elevation of a block of the housing for the door check; Figure 7 is a plan view of the block; Figure 8 is an end elevation of the block; Figure 9 is a section on the line 9-9 of Figure 6; Figure 10 is a section on the line 10-10 of Figure 6; Figure 11 is a side elevation of the housing with the base plate and the block assembled together; Figure 12 is an end elevation of the housing; Figure 13 is longitudinal section through the housing; Figure 14 is an end elevation of the housing; Figure 15 is a longitudinal section through another housing for a door check; Figure 16 is an end view of the housing of Figure 15; and Figure 17 is a view of an elongated scale showing the connection between the housing and the base plate. A vehicle door assembly is illustrated . in Figure 1-14 of the accompanying drawings which shows a vehicle door 2 hingedly connected to a door frame 3 for movement about a substantially vertical axis between open and closed positions. Movement of the door 2 between the open and closed position is restrained by means of a door check comprising a housing 1 mounted on the inner side of a panel or skin of the door 2, and an arm or strap 4 which is pivotally connected at one end 5 to the door frame 3, and is adapted to be withdrawn in opposite directions through the housing against a force applied to it by the frictional co-operation with it of a restraining mechanism 7 housed within the housing 1. The other end of the strap 4 carries a head 6 defining an abutment stop for engagement with the housing 1 to define the fully open position of the door. As the door 2 is moved into a closed position the arm 4 slides through the housing 1 with the head 6 assuming an advanced position as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings. The restraining mechanism 7 is illustrated in Figures 13 and 14 of the drawings and comprises a pair of rollers 13,14 which are urged by a spring 15 into frictional engagement with opposite sides of the arm 4. The housing 1 comprises a metal base plate 10, and a block 11 of synthetic plastics material secured to the base plate 10 and provided with a cavity 12 which faces the base plate 10 and in the restraining mechanism 7 is housed. The base plate 10 is of generally channel section having a generally planar base 16 of oblong rectangular outline and pairs of separate upstanding side and end flanges 17, and 18, respectively. The end flanges 18 are normal to the plane of the base, but the side flanges 17 diverge, substantially at 15°, with respect to the base 16. Each side flange 17 is provided with three axially spaced apertures 20. A pair of axially spaced headed screw-threaded fixing studs 21 projecting from the base 16 in the opposite direction from the flanges 17 and 18 are adapted to receive nuts to secure the housing 1 to the inner skin of the door 2. The block 11 comprises a one-piece plastics moulding having integral side and end walls between which the cavity 12 is defined. Each side wall is provided with three axially spaced outwardly projecting lugs 22 complementary to the apertures 20. To assemble the housing 1, the restraining mechanism 7 is first fitted into the cavity 12 in the block 11, t and the studs 21 are inserted through openings 10 the base plate 16 until their heads are flush with its inner face. The block 11 is then inserted into the mouth of the channel, in the space defined between the side and end flanges 17 and 18. The side flanges 17 are then deformed inwardly from the inclined position shown in Figure 5 and into an upright position with the apertures 20 receiving the complementary lugs 22 on the block 11. The co-operation of the lugs 22 within the apertures 20 defines locking means for securing the metal base plate 10 and the block 11 of plastics material against separation and, at the same time, clamping the heads of the studs 21 firmly against the base plate 10. In operation the co-operation of the end flanges 18 with the ends of the block 11 strengthens the housing 1. Axial loads applied to the housing by the restraining mechanism 7 are transmitted to the studs through the flanges 18 and the base 16. The housing illustrated in Figures 15-17 of the drawings is particularly suitable for use in constructions in which the door check may be subjected to high temperatures, for example in the region of 95°C, and the construction is chosen to compensate for any consequent differential expansion of the materials of the metal base plate 10, and the block 11 of synthetic plastics material. Distal portions of the flanges 17 of the base plate 10 are cranked downwardly to form undercut ribs 60, and the external walls of the block 11 are formed with oppositely directed undercut ribs 61. When the block 11 is assembled into the channel formed between the upstanding side flanges on the base plate 10, the ribs 60 and 61 on the two component juxta-posed. A semi-tubular clip 62 of spring steel, which defines the locking means, is slid over each of the two pairs of co-operating ribs 60 and 61 to secure the two components against separation on opposite sides of the housing 1. The ribs 60,61 may be continuous and extend between opposite ends of the components to receive one or more clips, depending upon the size of the component and the required strength of the locking means. When more than one clip is used, the clips are equally spaced along the ribs 60,61. In a modification the ribs may comprise superimposed discrete projections, with a separate clip co-operating with each superimposed pair of projections. Any differential expansion between the materials of the plate 10 and the block 11 will be compensated for by flexure of the clips 62.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A door check for vehicles in which an arm in the form of a strap (4) adapted to be pivotally connected at one end to door frame (3) is withdrawn through a housing (1) adapted to be mounted on a complementary part of a door (2) against a restraining force applied to the strap by the frictional engagement with the strap of a restraining mechanism (7) housed within the housing, characterised in that the housing (1) comprises a first component in the form of a base plate (10) for attachment to the door (2), a second component in the form of a block (11) provided with a cavity (12) facing the base plate and in which the restraining mechanism is housed, one of the components being of generally channel section having side flanges (17) in which side edges of the other component are received, and locking means (20,22;60,61,62) co-operating with the two components to secure them together against separation. 2. A door check according to claim 1, in which the base plate (10) is constructed from metal, and the block (11) is constructed from a synthetic plastics material. 3. A door check according to claim 2, in which the block comprises a one-piece plastics moulding. 4. A door check according to any preceding claim, in which the side flanges (17) extend between opposite ends of the components. 5. A door check according to any of claims 2-4, in which the base plate (10) is also provided with end flanges (18) which co-operate with the ends of the block (11). 6. A door check according to any preceding claim, in which each side flange (17) is formed with axially spaced apertures (20), and opposite sides of the block (11) are provided with lugs (22) which are complementary to the apertures and are received within the apertures to define the locking means. 7. A door check according to claim 6, in which the side flanges (17) are adapted to be defined inwardly from an inclined position and into a position generally normal to the base plate to receive the lugs (22) in locking engagement in the apertures (20). 8. A door check according to claim 6 or claim 7, in which each side wall of the block (11) is provided with three lugs (22), corresponding in number to the apertures (20) in the adjacent flange 17. 9. A door check according to any of claims 2-5, in which side edges of the block (11) are received in the channel, and the components (10, 11) are provided with external longitudinally extending undercut ribs (60,61) which are juxta-posed when the block is received in the channel, each pairs of ribs being received within a clip (62) which defines the locking means. 10. A door check according to claim 9, in which the ribs (60, 61) extend between opposite ends of the components (10, 11), and each pair of ribs is adapted to receive one or more clips (62). 11. A door check according to claim 9, in which the ribs (60,61) comprise superimposed discrete projections, and a separate clip (62) co-operates with each superimposed pair of projections. 12. A door check according to any preceding claim, in which at least one headed fixing stud (21) projects from the first component, and the head of the stud is clamped firmly between the two components (10, 11).

Inventors: MORRIS BARRY STANLEY, MORRIS, BARRY, STANLEY
Applicants: BLOXWICH ENG, BLOXWICH ENGINEERING LIMITED
Application year: 1993
Main classification: E05C17
IPC codes: E05B15, E05C17, E05C19