Abstract:
An apparatus for aligning and leveling an associated vehicle door having an elongated member, a head member attached to said elongated member adapted to engage a vehicle door lock recess, a support member extending downwardly from said elongated member towards a vehicle door and a support plate attached to said support member adapted to rest on said vehicle door. The apparatus is designed to aid in the leveling and aligning processes of a vehicle door after assembly of the vehicle. The elongated member may include a series of bends to improve the ergonomic efficiency of the vehicle door leveler.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to autobody tools, in particular, to a vehicle door aligning and leveling tool. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     It is a common problem in automotive vehicles that the hinged door of an automotive vehicle is misaligned during the initial manufacture. This misalignment causes the door to not properly close or be misaligned when closed. Misalignment may cause air gaps in the seal of a closed vehicle door leading to noise heard by the driver, among other problems. 
     Overcoming such a misalignment is often completed by a mechanic or other automotive worker by applying a force to the lower portion of the vehicle door to improve its alignment. This may be accomplished generally by the crude method of grabbing a vehicle door with the hands and pushing or pulling on the vehicle door to improve alignment of the vehicle door. The method of grabbing a vehicle door with the hands often results in injury to assembly plant workers or other automotive workers. This method can often damage the vehicle door by either damaging the paint or leaving an indentation in the bottom of the vehicle door. 
     It is one object of the present invention to provide an improved alignment tool which can be used to apply force to the vehicle door without the danger of damaging the surface of the vehicle door. It is another object of the invention to provide an apparatus which avoids scratching or damaging of any paint or any deformation of any vehicle door structure. 
     Yet another method of alignment involves kneeling on the ground and pulling or pushing the bottom of the vehicle door with hands to level and align the vehicle door. Again, this method often results in injury to assembly plant workers or other automotive workers. 
     Another object of the present invention is to minimize risk of injury to assembly plant workers or other automotive workers when aligning a vehicle door by means of using their hands or knees when aligning the vehicle door. 
     Vehicle door designs often vary greatly in different models and makes of vehicles. It is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus which is simple and universal to all automotive vehicle doors and structures. It is another object of the invention to provide an apparatus which will cooperate with a wide variety of automobile and vehicle structures. 
     Accordingly there exists a need for a tool more suitable for correcting common misalignment and level problems in vehicle doors. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is for a tool for use in aligning and leveling a vehicle door. A vehicle door typically has a door lock assembly which receives a lock pin on the door frame to secure the vehicle door in a closed position. Accordingly, the corresponding vehicle door typically includes a recess for accepting the lock pin on the door frame. The tool of the preferred embodiment includes an elongated member having a support member extending downwardly from the elongated member towards a vehicle door. The tool further includes a head member attached to the elongated member adapted to engage a vehicle door lock recess of a locking means of a vehicle door. The door leveler further includes a support plate attached to the support member adapted to rest against a vehicle door. 
     In another embodiment of the present invention, the elongated member may be configured with an ergonomic design to reduce burden on users of the door leveler. An ergonomic configuration of the elongated member may increase maneuverability of a vehicle door during the leveling process. The ergonomic configuration of the elongated member may include a series of bends in the elongated member. This ergonomic configuration lowers the user grip area from the head member allowing a user to gain more control and improve user lift ability. The ergonomic bends allow the grip area of the device to be substantially parallel while substantially lower than the working area of the vehicle door. Lowering the grip area allows a user of the door leveler to exert more force on the door leveler while minimizing risk of injury. 
     The vehicle door leveler is intended to assist in the lifting, pushing and pulling processes when aligning and leveling a vehicle door. The head member engages the vehicle door lock recess while the support plate simultaneously braces against the vehicle door. The user of the vehicle door leveler then uses the elongated member to pull or push the vehicle door in turn causing the vehicle door to move in accordance with proper alignment of the vehicle door. 
     A support member may extend downwardly from the elongated member to the vehicle door at various different points on the elongated member. The support member acts as a brace to further simplify use of the vehicle door leveler and to minimize burden on the user of the vehicle door leveler. 
     The support plate includes a front surface and a rear surface. The rear surface of the support plate is secured to the support member. The front surface of the support plate has a resilient surface adapted to prevent scratching of the paint or other damage to the vehicle door. 
     The foregoing and other objects, embodiments, features and advantages of the invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description which proceeds with references to the accompany drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a plan view, in partial section, of a portion of the vehicle in which the apparatus of the current invention is being used to raise and lower the vehicle door; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the vehicle door leveler; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view diagram of a second embodiment of the vehicle door leveler; 
         FIG. 4  is a side view diagram of a third embodiment of the vehicle door leveler; 
         FIG. 5  is a side view diagram of a fourth embodiment of the vehicle door leveler; 
         FIG. 6  is a side view diagram of a fifth embodiment of the vehicle door leveler; 
         FIG. 7  is a side view diagram of a sixth embodiment of the vehicle door leveler; 
         FIG. 8  is a side view diagram of a seventh embodiment of the vehicle door leveler; 
         FIG. 9  is a side view diagram of an eighth embodiment of the vehicle door leveler; and 
         FIG. 10  is a side view diagram of a ninth embodiment of the vehicle door leveler. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a tool for use in aligning and leveling a vehicle door. A vehicle door typically includes a door lock assembly which receives a lock pin on the door frame to secure the vehicle door in a closed position, as shown in  FIG. 1 . The corresponding vehicle door typically includes a recess for accepting the lock pin on the door frame.  FIG. 1  depicts an idealized motor vehicle  10  having a vehicle body  18  on which vehicle door  12  is hingedly mounted. Vehicle autobody workers are often required to reposition the vehicle door  12  with respect to vehicle body  18  in order to properly align and level the vehicle door  12  with respect to vehicle body  18 . Movement is accomplished when the user of the vehicle door leveler  20  pushes and pulls on the elongated member  24  of the vehicle of the vehicle door leveler  20  (as shown by movement arrows  14 ,  16 ). Said pushing of the vehicle door  12  facilitates the alignment process allowing workers to properly align the vehicle door  12 . 
     The vehicle door leveler  20  in the embodiment here specifically disclosed is primarily formed of an elongated member  24 , here shown in the form of a tubular shaft. Elongated member  24  may also be, but not limited to, in the form of a rectangular elongated member or other variations of an elongated member not otherwise depicted. 
     Elongated member  24  may optionally include a series of bends. Elongated member  24  bends are depicted at  52  and  54 . Elongated member  24  may include between zero and four bends, not otherwise depicted in the drawings. The bends  52  and  54  are intended to improve usability to a user of the door leveler. This ergonomic configuration lowers the user grip area from the head member allowing a user to gain more control and improve user lift ability. The ergonomic bends allow the grip area of the device to be substantially parallel while substantially lower than the working area of the vehicle door. Lowering the grip area allows a user of the door leveler to exert more force on the door leveler while minimizing risk of injury. 
     Elongated member  24  may include more or less than the two bends  52  and  54  depicted in the drawings. Elongated member  24  may have a medial portion  38  between a grip portion  36  and a distal portion  40 . Bends  52  and  54  may be provided at the joints of the medial portion  38 , grip portion  36  and the distal portion  40 . Bends  52  and  54  are discussed in further detail in this description. 
     Elongated member  24  includes a head member  22  adapted to engage a recess  30  on a side panel  32  of a vehicle door  12 . Head member  22 , as depicted in  FIG. 2 , may be U-shaped. Head member  22  could form several other different shapes including, but not limited to, a rectangular shaped head member, a circular shaped head member, a tubular shaped head member, etc. 
     Elongated member  24  further includes a support member  28  which extends downwardly from the elongated member  24  to the side panel  32  of the vehicle door  12 . In one embodiment, support member  28  is fixedly secured to elongated member  24  at the joint  34 . In another embodiment, support member  28  is rotatably mounted to elongated member  24  at the joint  34 . The support member  28  is designed to minimize burden on the user of the vehicle door leveler  20 . The support member  28  acts as a brace to further simplify use of the vehicle door leveler  20 . The support member also provides an ergonomic benefit to the user of the vehicle door leveler  20  by reducing the force needed to raise and lower the vehicle door. 
     The vehicle door leveler is depicted in a series of embodiments shown in  FIGS. 3-9 . These various embodiments have different configurations of bends and support member placement. The limited list of embodiments shown in the drawings does not encompass all embodiments of the present invention. Generally, elongated member  24  is formed of a medial portion  38  between a grip portion  36  and a distal portion  40 . Grip portion  36 , medial portion  38  and distal portion  40  are formed of a single contiguous piece. Bends  52  and  54  may be provided at the joints of the medial portion  38 , grip portion  36  and the distal portion  40 . Bend  54  is measured by an angle ‘x’ as shown in  FIGS. 3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  8  and  9  on the topside of the elongated member  24 . Bend  52  is measured by an angle ‘y’ as shown in  FIGS. 3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  8  and  9  on the underside of elongated member  24 . Both angles ‘x’ and ‘y’ have a measure between 90°-270°. Bend  52  may also be measured by angle ‘z’ measured on the topside of the elongated member  24 . Angle ‘z’ may have a measure between 60°-310°. Angles ‘x’, ‘y’ and ‘z’ are independent of each other and may have different measurements. 
     The first, second, third, fourth, seventh and eighth embodiments, as depicted in  FIGS. 3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  8  and  9 , respectively, include a series of two bends located at  52  and  54 . In the first, second, third, fourth, seventh and eighth, angles ‘x’, ‘y’ and ‘z’ may have a measure between 90°-270°. 
     As depicted in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , fifth and sixth embodiments, respectively, angles ‘x’, ‘y’ and ‘z’ may have a measure of 180°. When angles ‘x’, ‘y’ and ‘z’ have a measure of 180°, the elongated member  24  is perfectly straight. 
     The vehicle door leveler is depicted in a series of embodiments shown in  FIGS. 4-10 . These various embodiments have different configurations of support member  28  placement. Support member  28  placement on the elongated member  24  may vary. Placement of the support member  28  on the elongated member  24  may either be closer to the head member  22 , centered on the elongated member  24 , or closer to the grip portion  36 . The support member  28  may also extend downwardly toward the vehicle door from the grip portion  36 , the medial portion  38  or the distal portion  40  of the elongated member  24 . For example,  FIG. 3  (first embodiment), the support member  28  extends downwardly from the grip portion  36  of the elongated member  24 . In  FIG. 4  (second embodiment), the support member  28  extends downwardly from the grip portion  36  of the elongated member  24 . In  FIG. 5  (third embodiment), the support member  28  extends downwardly from the medial portion  38 . Various placements of the support member  28  may improve user maneuverability. 
     Support member  28  includes a support plate  26 . In the preferred embodiment, support plate  26  is fixedly secured to the support member  28 . Support plate  26  may also be rotatably mounted about support member  28  or otherwise movable on support member  28 . Support plate  26  includes a rear surface  48 . Support plate  26  connects to support member  28  on a location on the rear surface  48  of the support plate  26 . Support plate  26  also includes a front surface  46 . Front surface  46  of support plate  26  is covered, at least partially, with a resilient surface  50 . Resilient surface  50  may include, but is not limited to, a cloth material, flexible rubber or other polymer material, nylon, foam, cotton substrate . . . etc. Resilient surface  50  is designed to prevent scratching, denting, or other damage to the vehicle door  12 . 
     As demonstrated by the use in  FIG. 2 , head member  22  is adapted to engage a recess  30  of a side panel  32  of a vehicle door  12 . The operator of the vehicle door leveler  20  may either lift or push down on the vehicle door leveler  20  to attain the proper level and alignment of the vehicle door  12 . Support member  28  and support plate  26  are adapted to engage the side panel  32  of the vehicle door  12 . The support member  28  acts as a brace to further simplify use of the vehicle door leveler  20 . The support member also provides an ergonomic benefit to the user of the vehicle door leveler  20  by reducing the force needed to raise and lower the vehicle door. 
       FIG. 7  depicts yet another embodiment wherein support member  28  includes a support member bend  56 . Support member bend  56  may improve usability for the user of the vehicle door leveler. The bend may reduce the ergonomic burden on the user of the vehicle door leveler. 
     The foregoing drawings, discussion and description are illustrative of specific embodiments of the present invention, but they are not meant to be limitations upon the practice thereof. Numerous modifications and variations of the invention will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art in view of the teaching presented herein. It is the following claims, including all equivalents, which define the scope of the invention.