Door checks for vehicles

Abstract: A door check for vehicles in which a link (20) in the form of a strap is adapted to be pivotally connected at one end (21) to a door frame and is adapted to be withdrawn through a housing (1), mounted on a complementary part of the door against a restraining force applied to the strap by the frictional co-operation with the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, and providing a mounting for a pair of rollers (9,7) which are resiliently urged into engagement with opposite faces of the link (20) and which provide a restraining force to the link (20). The link (20) is so profiled that the resistance to movement of the link (20) through the rollers (9.7) varies during the length of its travel.

Description: This invention relates to door checks for vehicles of the kind in which a link in the form of a strap adapted to be pivotally connected at one end to a door frame is withdrawn through a housing mounted on a complementary part of the door against a restraining force applied to the strap by the frictional co-operation with the strap of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. Most known door checks of the kind set forth include metal housings which are relatively heavy and relatively expensive to produce. A door check is known from FR-A-2664323 in which the housing has a U-shaped centre portion between two planar wing portions. The restraining mechanism comprises first and second rollers located between spaced side walls of the centre portion. The first roller is journalled for rotation about a fixed axis and the second roller is carried by an arm pivotal about a fixed axis and biased towards the first roller to apply a restraining force to a link extending between the rollers. The arm is carried by an axle which extends between the side walls. The ends of the axle project from the side walls and overlie the wing portions on either side of the centre portion. The biasing is provided by a pair of springs mounted on the projecting ends of the axle. Another door check is known from FR-A-1097184 in which the housing comprises a U-shaped bracket with opposed side walls and a connecting base wall. The restraining mechanism includes a first roller journalled for rotation about a fixed axis between the side walls and a second roller pivotally and slidably supported between a pair of straps connected to the bracket. The second roller is biased towards the first roller to apply a restraining force to a link extending between the rollers by a spring located between the straps. According to our invention, there is provided a door check for vehicles comprising a link in the form of a strap adapted to be pivotally connected at one end to a door frame, a housing adapted to be mounted on a complementary part of a door, the link being adapted to be withdrawn through the housing under the control of a restraining mechanism arranged to apply a restraining force by frictional co-operation with opposite faces of the link, the housing being of substantially U-shape having a pair of spaced limbs, and the restraining mechanism comprising a first roller journalled for rotation about a fixed axis extending between the limbs, a second roller carried by an arm angularly movable about a pivot axis extending between the limbs, and a spring biasing the second roller towards the first roller, and the link being so profiled that the resistance to movement of the link between the rollers varies during the length of its travel characterised in that the housing comprises a pressed metal casing or bracket, the second roller is arranged between the first roller and an end plate integral with and connecting the limbs and the spring is arranged between the limbs and acts between the end plate and the arm for biasing the second roller away from the end plate towards the first roller. By this invention, there is provided a light-weight door check which is simple in construction and cheap to produce. Preferably the resistance to movement of the link through the rollers is smallest at a position of minimum travel, such as when the door is in a closed position, and increases as the door approaches an intermediate or a fully open position. The fully opened position may be defined by the co-operation of an abutment on the link with at least one of the rollers to form a bump stop. One of the faces of the link may be planar and the other face may be of an irregular or undulating outline so that the resistance to movement of the link varies throughout the length of its travel. For example, the other face may include an inclined face leading into axially spaced recesses adapted to receive one of the rollers whereby to define intermediate open positions for the door. One embodiment of our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:- Figure 1 is an inverted plan view of a door check for a vehicle door with the link omitted for clarity; Figure 2 is an end view of the check; and Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2 and including the link. The door check illustrated in the drawings comprises a housing 1 in the form of a light-weight pressed metal casing or bracket of generally U-shaped outline including spaced limbs 2, 3 which depend from an end plate 4. The limbs 2, 3 terminate at their distal ends in oppositely directed cranked portions comprising a pair of aligned lugs 5 which provide mountings for fixing studs 6 by means of which the casing can be secured to a vehicle door. A roller 7 is journalled for rotation on a pin 8 fixedly secured at opposite ends in the limbs 2 and 3, and a second roller 9 is rotatably mounted in a recess 10 at the inner end of an arm 11 in the form of a rocker of which the outer end is mounted for angular movement about a pivot pin 12 also extending between the limbs 2 and 3. A compression spring 13 acts between the arm 11 and the end plate 4 to urge the roller 9 towards the roller 7. A link 20 in the form of a profiled strap extends through the housing 1 between the rollers 9 and 7 with a restraining force applied to it by the load in the spring 13 which is transmitted through the arm 11. The link 20 has a planar upper surface with which the movable roller 9 is in rolling engagement, and a lower surface of irregular or undulating configuration. As illustrated the link 20 at one end is provided with an opening 21 to form a pivotal connection with a door frame and which is disposed at all times on one side of the housing 1. A portion 22 of constant thickness leads from the opening 21 to an outwardly inclined face 23, and the face 23 in turn, leads into a second, parallel sided portion 24 of greater thickness than the portion 22. The portion 24 terminates at an enlarged abutment 26 at the opposite free end of the link 20. A pair of axially spaced semi-circular recesses 27, 28 are formed in the portion 24, spaced axially between the inclined face 23 and the abutment 26. When the door check is installed in a vehicle and the door is in the closed position, the relative positions of the link 20 and the housing 1 are similar to that shown in Figure 3 with a minimum restraining force applied to the link 20 since the arm 11 is at an extreme position. As the door is opened and the link 20 is withdrawn through the rollers 7 and 9, the resistance to movement of the link 20 increases as the roller 7 engages with the inclined face 23 and which provides a gradual lead into the portion 24. At this point the resistance to movement is increased due to compression of the spring 13 caused by angular movement of the arm 11, in order to accommodate the increased effective width of the link 20 at that point. Further movement in the same direction causes the roller 7 to be received in the recess 27 to define a first intermediate open position. If this position is insufficient for the needs of the occupant of the vehicle then the door may be opened further with the roller 7 being received in the recess 28 to define a second intermediate open position. Further movement of the door in the same direction to disengage the roller 7 from the recess 28 causes the abutment 26 to engage with the roller 7 and define a bump stop limiting further travel of the link 20 and limiting further movement of the door in a opening direction. In the construction described above the resistance to movement of the link 20 through the rollers 7, 9 is smallest at a position of minimum travel, when the door is substantially in a closed position, and increases as the door approaches an intermediate or fully open position. In a modification the fixing stud 6 may be omitted, the housing 1 may be fixed to the door by the use of separate screws screwed into tapped holes in the lugs 5.

Claims: A door check for vehicles comprising a link (20) in the form of a strap adapted to be pivotally connected at one end (21) to a door frame, a housing (1) adapted to be mounted on a complementary part of a door, the link (20) being adapted to be withdrawn through the housing (1) under the control of a restraining mechanism arranged to apply a restraining force by frictional co-operation with opposite faces of the link (20), the housing (1) being of substantially U-shape having a pair of spaced limbs (2,3), and the restraining mechanism comprising a first roller (7) journalled for rotation about a fixed axis extending between the limbs (2,3), a second roller (9) carried by an arm (11) angularly movable about a pivot axis extending between the limbs (2,3), and a spring (13) biasing the second roller (9) towards the first roller (7), and the link (20) being so profiled that the resistance to movement of the link (20) between the rollers (7,9) varies during the length of its travel characterised in that the housing (1) comprises a pressed metal casing or bracket, the second roller (9) is arranged between the first roller (7) and an end plate (4) integral with and connecting the limbs (2,3), and the spring (13) is arranged between the limbs (2,3) and acts between the end plate (4) and the arm (11) for biasing the second roller (9) away from the end plate (4) towards the first roller (7). A door check as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that one of the faces of the link (20) is planar and the other face is of an irregular or undulating outline so that the resistance to movement of the link (20) varies throughout the length of its travel. A door check as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the link (20) has an opening (21) at one end for pivotal connection with the door frame, a first portion (22) of constant thickness leading from the opening (21) to an outwardly inclined face (23) which in turn leads to a second, parallel sided portion (24) of greater thickness than the first portion (22). A door check as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the resistance to movement of the link (20) through the rollers (7,9) is smallest at a position of minimum travel, such as when the door is in a closed position, and the resistance to movement increases as the door approaches an intermediate or a fully open position. A door check as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that the link (20) has an abutment (26) forming a bump stop co-operable with the first roller (7) to define the fully opened position of the door. A door check as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5, characterised in that the link (20) has axially spaced recesses (27,28) adapted to receive the first roller (7) to define intermediate open positions of the door. A door check as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the first roller (7) is journalled for rotation about a pivot pin (8) fixedly secured at opposite ends in the limbs (2,3). A door check as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the second roller (9) is journalled for rotation in a recess (10) at one end of the arm (11) and the other end of the arm (11) is mounted for angular movement about a pivot pin (12) extending between the limbs (2,3). A door check as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the limbs (2,3) terminate at their distal ends in oppositely directed cranked portions comprising a pair of aligned lugs (5) adapted for mounting the housing (1) on a door.

Inventors: TAYLOR COLIN JEFFREY, TAYLOR, COLIN JEFFREY
Applicants: BLOXWICH ENG, BLOXWICH ENGINEERING LIMITED
Application year: 1997
Main classification: E05C17
IPC codes: E05C17