Patent Publication Number: US-2007113485-A1

Title: Door module positioning system

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      This application is a continuation-in-part application claiming priority of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/284,662, filed Nov. 22, 2005. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD  
      The subject invention relates to a door module positioning system with a slotted pin that allows a carrier plate to be initially supported and retained on an inner door panel during assembly without requiring fasteners.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Door module assemblies include a carrier plate that supports components such as door locks and window lifters, for example. The carrier plate is attached to an inner door panel on a vehicle door. Typically, the carrier plate includes locating pins that are inserted into openings formed in the inner door panel to align the carrier plate relative to the inner door panel.  
      Traditionally, each locating pin comprises a cylindrical steel pin that is attached to the carrier plate as a separate piece. This requires additional assembly steps, and accordingly increases cost. Further, these cylindrical steel pins are typically orientated in a perpendicular relationship to the carrier plate. Corresponding openings extend perpendicularly into one side of the inner door panel. One disadvantage with this configuration is that the carrier plate must be immediately fastened to the inner door panel to retain the carrier plate to the inner door panel. Thus, the locating pins alone cannot be used to retain the carrier plate to the inner door panel while other assembly operations are being conducted.  
      This perpendicular orientation of the locating pins could result in the carrier plate sliding away and separating from the inner door panel if the carrier plate and inner door panel are not immediately fastened together after alignment. This means that the alignment and attachment steps must be performed at the same assembly line station. This makes assembly more difficult and expensive.  
      Thus, there is a need for a door module positioning system that uses a common feature to both locate and retain the carrier plate and inner door panel together. Further, this common feature should not require immediate permanent attachment between the carrier plate and the inner door panel. This feature allows the door module assembly to be moved between assembly line stations or to have additional assembly steps performed prior to permanent attachment, as desired.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      A door module assembly includes a carrier plate and an inner door panel. One of the carrier plate and inner door panel includes at least one locating pin that is used to align and retain the carrier plate and inner door panel together without requiring any additional fasteners. Each locating pin includes a pin body with a removed section that allows the locating pin to flex during assembly.  
      In one example, the removed section comprises a slot that extends to a distal end of the pin body. The slot separates the pin body into first and second lip portions. The first and second lip portions flex toward each other during insertion of the locating pin through an opening, and the first and second lip portion flex outwardly away from each other after the locating pin has been inserted through the opening to retain the carrier plate to the inner door panel.  
      By using slotted locating pins for alignment and retention of the carrier plate on the inner door panel, carrier plate separation is avoided and subsequent assembly steps can be performed without requiring permanent attachment of the carrier plate to the inner door panel. Permanent attachment can then occur subsequent to any desired assembly operations.  
      These and other features of the present invention can be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a schematic side view of a door module assembly incorporating the subject invention.  
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a carrier plate and locating pin incorporating the subject invention.  
       FIG. 3  is a magnified side view of the locating pin of  FIG. 2 .  
       FIG. 4  is a schematic view showing insertion of the subject locating pin into an inner door panel.  
       FIG. 5  is a schematic view showing the subject locating pin after insertion into the inner door panel.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      A door module assembly  10  is shown schematically in  FIG. 1 . The door module assembly  10  includes a carrier plate  12  and an inner door panel  14 . Door module components  16  are mounted to the carrier plate  12 . The door module components  16  can be any type of known door module component such as a window lifter mechanism  16   a  or a door lock mechanism  16   b  (shown schematically), for example.  
      The carrier plate  12  includes an outer surface  18  and an inner surface  20  that faces away from the inner door panel  14 . The inner surface  20  of the carrier plate  12  faces towards a passenger compartment. Location of the passenger compartment is generally indicated by arrow  26 . The inner door panel  14  includes an outer surface  22  that faces away from the carrier plate  12  and an inner surface  24  that faces the outer surface  18  of the carrier plate  12 .  
      The carrier plate  12  includes at least one locating pin  30  that is used to align and retain the carrier plate  12  on the inner door panel  14  without requiring any other fastening elements. Preferably, a plurality of locating pins  30  is used for alignment and retention. As shown in  FIG. 2 , each locating pin  30  includes a removed section  32  that provides the locating pin  30  with a resilient retention feature that allows the locating pin to flex between different positions during assembly of the carrier plate  12  to the inner door panel.  
      As shown in  FIG. 2 , each locating pin  30  comprises a pin body  34  having a base end  36  and a distal end  38 . The removed section  32  comprises a slot  40  that extends from the base end  36  to the distal end  38 . The slot  40  separates the pin body  34  into first  42  and second  44  flexible lip portions that are resiliently formed to move between different installation positions.  
      As shown in  FIG. 3 , the slot  40  is comprised of a pair of tapered surfaces  40   a ,  40   b  that diverge away from each other in a direction extending from the base end  36  toward the distal end  38 . This allows the first  42  and second  44  flexible lip portions to have greater flexibility at the distal end  38  than at the base end  36 .  
      Each locating pin  30  is inserted into a corresponding opening  46  ( FIG. 1 ) formed in the inner door panel  14 . During insertion of the locating pin  30  into the opening  46 , the first  42  and second  44  flexible lip portions flex inwardly toward each other as shown in  FIG. 4 . After the locating pin  30  has been inserted through the opening  46 , the first  42  and second  44  flexible lip portions return to their initial position, i.e. the first  42  and second  44  flexible lip portions flex outwardly away from each other, as shown in  FIG. 5 . This provides a retention feature that prevents the carrier plate  12  from sliding off of the inner door panel  14 .  
      Preferably, the locating pins  30  are integrally formed with the carrier plate  12  as a single piece component. This eliminates the need for separate steel pins as are traditionally required, and correspondingly decreases cost and assembly time. Preferably, the locating pins  30  and carrier plate  12  are made from the same type of plastic material during a molding process. Further, it should be understood that while the locating pins  30  are shown as being formed on the carrier plate  12  with openings  46  formed in the inner door panel  14 , a reverse configuration could also be utilized with locating pins formed on the inner door panel  14  and openings formed on the carrier plate  12 .  
      The slotted locating pins  30  provide both alignment and retention capability for the carrier plate  12  within the door module assembly  10 . The locating pins  30  and openings  46  cooperate to align the carrier plate  12  relative to the inner door panel  14 . The locating pins  30  resiliently snap into the openings  46  to retain the carrier plate  12  to the inner door panel  14 . Panel separation is avoided and subsequent assembly steps can be performed without requiring permanent attachment of the carrier plate  12  to the inner door panel  14 . The carrier plate  12  and the inner door panel  14  can then be fastened together subsequent to any desired assembly operations, such as attachment of door module components  16  within the door module assembly  10 , for example.  
      Although a preferred embodiment of this invention has been disclosed, a worker of ordinary skill in this art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this invention. For that reason, the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention.