Patent ID: 8567012

Claim:
A door check apparatus for an automobile comprising: a) a unitary check body comprising a mounting surface configured to rigidly mount to a vehicle door, a pair of opposing compliant leaves that extend substantially perpendicularly from the mounting surface, each compliant leaf having a free end, and a guidance arrangement defined by the free end of each compliant leaf; b) a check arm configured to be pivotally connected to a vehicle body structure, the check arm comprising cam surfaces and detent features that slideably interface with the guidance arrangement of the unitary check body; wherein the unitary check body is manufactured from a resilient material so that the compliant leaves are capable of storing and releasing energy in response to the sliding interface of the cam surfaces and detent features of the check arm relative to the guidance arrangement; and wherein the compliant leaves of the unitary check body are configured to generate predetermined forces at positions determined by the locations of the detent features of the check arm relative to the guidance arrangement of the unitary body check, thereby checking rotary motion of the vehicle door relative to the vehicle body structure.