Patent Publication Number: US-2007114802-A1

Title: Door striker

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      This application relates to and claims priority benefits from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/734,492 entitled “Door Striker,” filed Nov. 8, 2005, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a door striker used to engage a latch, and more particularly to a door striker used to engage a latch on an automobile door to secure the automobile door in a closed position.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      A conventional automobile door, such as a trunk, tailgate, or hatchback door, is secured in a closed position by a latch and striker assembly. The door includes a latch that engages a door striker when the door is closed such that the latch is secured about the striker and the door is held in the closed position.  FIG. 1  illustrates a back view of an automobile  10  with a rear door  14  in the open position and a conventional door striker  18  positioned in the door frame  16  proximate the rear bumper  22  of the automobile  10 . The rear door  14  includes a latch assembly  26  for engaging the door striker  18  and securing the door  14  in the closed position.  
       FIG. 2  illustrates the door striker  18 . The door striker  18  is U-shaped and mounted to a base  30 . The door striker  18  includes a rear bar  34  extending vertically up from the base  30 .  
       FIG. 3  illustrates the latch assembly  26 . The latch assembly  26  includes a rotatable latch  38  positioned in a U-shaped gap  42 . When the door  14  is closed, the bar  34  is received within the gap  42  and the bar  34  engages the latch  38  such that the latch  38  rotates around the bar  34  to secure the bar  34  within the gap  42  of the latch assembly  26 .  
       FIG. 4  illustrates a cutaway top view of the bar  34  positioned within the gap  42  and secured by the latch  38 . Because the width of the gap  42  is significantly greater than the width of the bar  34 , the latch assembly  26 , and therefore the door  14 , are free to move laterally in the directions of Arrows A and B when the bar  34  is secured in the gap  42  by the latch  38 . Accordingly, when the door  14  is closed and the automobile  10  is in motion, the closed door  14  is susceptible to shaking and rattling about the striker  18  as the latch assembly  26  moves back and forth in the directions of Arrows A and B about the bar  34 . This shaking and rattling can damage the latch assembly and generate noises that distract the driver of the automobile.  
      Thus, a need exists for an automobile door latch/striker assembly that reduces rattling and shaking of the door when the automobile is moving. In particular, a need exists for a door striker that engages a latch assembly such that movement of the latch assembly about the striker is reduced.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a door striker for use with an automobile door latching assembly having a latch positioned within a gap defined by an edge. The door striker includes a bar configured to be securably engaged by the latch of the latching assembly and a bumper positioned proximate the bar and configured to be received within the gap of the latching assembly to resistably engage the edge of the gap when the latching assembly moves with respect to the bar.  
      Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a door striker for use with an automobile door latching assembly having a latch positioned within a gap defined by an edge. The door striker includes a base plate, a back plate, a bar extending from the base plate to the back plate and being configured to be securably engaged by the latch of the latching assembly, and a bumper extending from at least one of the back plate and base plate. The bumper is configured to be received within the gap of the latching assembly to resistibly engage the edge of the gap when the latching assembly moves with respect to the bar.  
      Certain embodiments of the present invention provide an automobile door latching system. The system includes an automobile door mounted in a frame and having a latching assembly. The latching assembly includes a latch positioned within a gap defined by an edge. The system includes a door striker mounted in the frame of the automobile door and having a base plate, a back plate extending from the base plate, a bar extending from the base plate to the back plate and being configured to be securably engaged by the latch, and a bumper extending from the base plate. The bumper is configured to be received within the gap of the latching assembly to resistibly engage the edge of the gap when the latching assembly moves with respect to the bar. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  illustrates a rear view of an automobile with an open back door.  
       FIG. 2  illustrates an isometric view of a conventional automobile door striker.  
       FIG. 3  illustrates an isometric view of a conventional automobile door latch assembly.  
       FIG. 4  illustrates a cutaway top view of the striker of  FIG. 2  engaging the latch assembly of  FIG. 3 .  
       FIG. 5  illustrates an isometric view of a door striker according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 6  illustrates a side view of the door striker shown in  FIG. 5 .  
       FIG. 7  illustrates a front view of the door striker shown in  FIG. 5 .  
       FIG. 8  illustrates a top view of the door striker shown in  FIG. 5 .  
       FIG. 9  illustrates a side view of a door striker according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 10  illustrates a top cutaway view of the latch assembly of  FIG. 3  engaging the door striker of  FIG. 5 . 
    
    
      Before the embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including” and “comprising” and variations thereof is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items and equivalents thereof.  
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       FIG. 5  illustrates an isometric view of a door striker  46  according to an embodiment of the present invention. The door striker  46  includes a generally triangular back plate  50  formed with, and extending generally perpendicularly from, a base plate  54 . The door striker  46  includes an L-shaped cylindrical bar  58  that extends between the back plate  50  and base plate  54 . The bar  58  includes a rear section  62  and a top section  66  that are generally perpendicular to each other and formed together at an elbow  72 . The rear section is formed with, and extends from, a top surface  74  of the base plate  54 , and the top section  66  is formed with, and extends from, a front surface  78  of the back plate  50 . By way of example only, the back plate  50 , base plate  54 , and bar  58  may be made of metal. The base plate  54  includes holes  70  that are configured to receive fasteners configured to secure the base plate  54  to a base in the door frame of an automobile such that the door striker  46  is positioned to engage an automobile door latch. By way of example only, the fasteners may be screws or bolts. Alternatively, the back plate  50  may have holes configured to receive fasteners to mount the door striker  46  within a door frame of an automobile. By way of example only, the base plate  54  may be mounted in a door frame proximate the bumper of the automobile with the rear section  62  facing out from the backside of the automobile. The door striker  46  includes a wedge-shaped bumper  82  that extends from the front surface  78  of the back plate  50  under the top section  66  and toward the rear section  62  of the bar  58 . The bumper  82  may be made of rubber or any other shock-absorbing material.  
       FIG. 6  illustrates a side view of the door striker  46  shown in  FIG. 5 ,  FIG. 7  illustrates a front view of the door striker  46  shown in  FIG. 5 , and  FIG. 8  illustrates a top view of the door striker  46  shown in  FIG. 5 . Referring to  FIGS. 6-8 , the bumper  82  is secured to the back plate  50  by a knob  86  that extends from the bumper  82  through a hole  90  in the back plate  50 . By way of example only, the knob  86  may be made of rubber and formed with the bumper  82 . Alternatively, the bumper  82  may be secured to the back plate  50  by any number of other methods such as, by way of example only, fasteners, glue, or epoxy. Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 9 , the bumper  82  may be secured to, and extend upward from, the top surface  74  of the base plate  54 . Referring back to  FIGS. 6 and 8 , the bumper  82  includes side walls  94  that extend from the back plate  50  and that angle inward to meet at a nose  98  to define a generally triangular shape for the bumper  82 . Alternatively, the bumper  82  may have any number of other shapes, such as, by way of example only, rectangular, or square.  
      In operation, the door striker  46  is used with a conventional latch assembly such as the latch assembly  26  shown in  FIG. 3  to secure an automobile door in the closed position. The door striker  46  is mounted to a base  30  ( FIG. 2 ) of a door frame of the automobile proximate the rear bumper like the conventional door striker  18  shown in  FIG. 2  and is positioned to engage the latch assembly  26 .  
       FIG. 10  illustrates a top cutaway view of the latch assembly  26  of  FIG. 3  engaging the door striker  46  of  FIG. 5 . When the door is closed, the door striker  46  is received within the gap  42  of the latch assembly  26 . The latch  38  engages, and rotates around, the rear section  62  of the bar  58  of the door striker  46  such that the latch  38  is secured about the rear section  62 . The bumper  82  of the door striker  46  is received within the gap  42  of the latch assembly  26  such that the side walls  94  of the bumper  82  are positioned to engage side walls or an edge  102  that define the contours of the gap  42  of the latch assembly  26 . The bumper  82  resists and blocks movement of the side walls or edge  102  of the latch assembly  26  to reduce lateral movement of the latch assembly  26  in the directions of Arrows A and B about the door striker  46 .  
      The bumper  82  is configured to fill the gap  42  between the gap side walls  102  of the latch assembly  26  in order to minimize or otherwise reduce open space for movement of the latch assembly  26  about the door striker  46 , and in turn reduce rattling by the latch assembly  26  and the rear door as the automobile is moving. Furthermore, because the bumper  82  is made of rubber, the bumper  82  on the door striker  46  reduces the amount of noise and wear generated by the latch assembly  26  moving about the door striker  46 . Also, the bumper  82  helps align the latch assembly  26  with the door striker  46  as the bumper  82  is received within the U-shaped gap  42  of the latch assembly  26 . Additionally, the bumper  82  may be deformable in order to accommodate the contours of the side walls  102  of the gap  42  as the latch assembly  26  is closed about the door striker  42 , and thus be tightly compressed or fit between the side walls  102  of the gap  42  to further reduce movement of the latch assembly  26  about the door striker  46 .  
      In an alternative embodiment, the door striker  42  may include the base plate  54 —without the back plate  50 —with the bumper  82  extending from the base plate  54 . Alternatively, the door striker  42  may include the back plate  50 —without the base plate  54 —with the bumper  82  extending from the back plate  50 . Alternatively, the back plate  50  and base plate  54  of the door striker may not be connected and/or may not be generally perpendicular to each other. In a further alternative embodiment, the door striker  42  may include a U-shaped bar extending from the base on the door frame of the automobile with the bumper  82  extending from the base under the bar without the base plate  54  or back plate  50 . In another alternative embodiment, the bar  58  may be any number of other shapes besides cylindrical such as, by way of example only, rectangular. In another alternative embodiment, the door striker  46  may be used with any vehicle door besides a rear door.  
      The different embodiments of the door striker of the present invention provides several advantages over a conventional door striker. The bumper of the door striker engages the edge of the gap of the latch assembly to reduce rattling by the automobile door, and thus reduces wear on the latching assembly and striker and reduces distracting noises for the driver. Additionally, the bumper of the door striker is configured to be received within the gap of the latch assembly to better align the latch assembly with the door striker when the door is closed.  
      While various spatial terms, such as, for example, upper, lower, mid, lateral, horizontal, vertical, top, back, rear, front and the like may used to describe portions of the door striker and/or door striker/latch assembly, it is understood that such terms are merely used with respect to the orientations shown in the drawings. The orientations may be inverted, rotated, or otherwise changed, such that an upper portion is a lower portion, and vice versa, horizontal becomes vertical, and the like.  
      Variations and modifications of the foregoing are within the scope of the present invention. It is understood that the invention disclosed and defined herein extends to all alternative combinations of two or more of the individual features mentioned or evident from the text and/or drawings. All of these different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the present invention. The embodiments described herein explain the best modes known for practicing the invention and will enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention. The claims are to be construed to include alternative embodiments to the extent permitted by the prior art.  
      Various features of the invention are set forth in the following claims.