This document relates generally to the motor vehicle equipment field and, more particularly, to an anti-chucking device for a motor vehicle closure.
Many motor vehicles are equipped with a swinging closure such as a lift gate, hatchback, trunk lid or tailgate. Swinging closures of this type require an anti-chucking component in order to reduce dynamic fluttering and over-slam energy acquired when the operator closes the closure.
This document relates to a new and improved anti-chucking device for a motor vehicle closure that includes a first component, two cooperating stops, that are tuned to control body attributes and a separate pop-up mechanism that is tuned to control NVH attributes. As two different components are provided to control the two different attributes, compromises are reduced and better performance is ensured.
More specifically, NVH performance is improved while at the same time a seemingly conflicting reduction in the closing effort required to close the closure is provided. Advantageously, this is accomplished with a relatively small cost penalty. Accordingly, the anti-chucking device disclosed in this document represents a significant advance in the art.
In accordance with the purposes and benefits described herein, an anti-chucking device is provided for a motor vehicle closure. That anti-chucking device comprises a wedge and a receiver. The receiver includes (a) a first stopper and a second stopper defining a throat there between and (b) a pop-up mechanism in the throat.
The pop-up mechanism includes a plunger biased by a spring. Further, the pop-up mechanism includes a body and a cover.
The plunger includes a proximal end, a distal end and a retaining ring between the proximal end and the distal end. The cover includes a plunger opening. The distal end of the plunger extends through the plunger opening.
The distal end of the plunger has a first diameter D1, the plunger opening has a second diameter D2 and the retaining ring has a third diameter D3 where D1<D2<D3. Accordingly, the plunger is effectively captured by the body and the cover while the distal end of the plunger freely projects from the cover.
The throat includes a first end and a second end. The receiver includes a bracket holding the first stopper and the second stopper and the pop-up mechanism. The first end of the throat is open to receive the wedge when the closure is closed and the bracket closes the second end of the throat. The first stopper may include a first face and the second stopper may include a second face wherein the first face and the second face are opposed and define sidewalls of the throat between the first end and the second end.
The first face and the second face may converge toward the second end of the throat. Further, the plunger may be oriented in the throat and biased by the spring toward the first end.
The wedge may include a third face, a fourth face and a terminal end between the third face and the fourth face. Further, the third face and the fourth face may converge toward the terminal end. When the closure is closed, the wedge is received in the receiver and the terminal end engages the plunger while the third face is juxtaposed to the first face and the fourth face is juxtaposed to the second face. The first stopper and the second stopper may be made from a resilient polymer material including, but not necessarily limited to polyurethane.
In accordance with an additional aspect, a method is provided of improving the NVH performance and reducing the closing effort of a motor vehicle closure. That method comprises the steps of providing a wedge on a free edge of the motor vehicle closure and receiving the wedge in a throat of a receiver defined between a first stopper and a second stopper while engaging the wedge with a plunger positioned in the throat and adapted to dissipate closing energy of the motor vehicle closure.
The method may further include the step of providing the throat with a first end and a second end wherein the first end is opened to receive the wedge. Further, the method may include the step of providing the first stopper with a first face and the second stopper with a second face wherein the first face and the second face define opposing sides of the throat and the first face and the second face converge toward the second end of the throat. Further, the method may include the step of providing the wedge with a third face and a fourth face wherein the third face and the fourth face converge toward the terminal end of the wedge.
In the following description, there are shown and described several preferred embodiments of the anti-chucking device. As it should be realized, the anti-chucking device is capable of other, different embodiments and its several details are capable of modification in various, obvious aspects all without departing from the anti-chucking device as set forth and described in the following claims. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions should be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.
The accompanying drawing figures incorporated herein and forming a part of the specification, illustrate several aspects of the anti-chucking device and together with the description serve to explain certain principles thereof. In the drawing figures:
Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the anti-chucking device, an example which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing figures.
Reference is now made to
The receiver 14 includes a bracket 16 that holds a first stopper 18, a second stopper 20 and a pop-up mechanism, generally designated by reference numeral 22. More specifically, the first stopper 18 and the second stopper 20 define a throat 24 between there with the popup mechanism 22 positioned in the throat.
The wedge 12 may be made from plastic, such as glass fiber reinforced polyamide, or other appropriate material. The first stopper 18 and the second stopper 20 may be made from a resilient polymer material such as polyurethane or the like.
The first stopper 18 includes a first face 26. The second stopper 20 includes a second face 28. The first face 26 and the second face 28 are opposed and define sidewalls of the throat 24. As should be further appreciated the throat 24 includes a first end 30 that is open to receive the wedge 12 and a second end 32 is closed by the bracket 16. The first face 26 and the second face 28 converge toward the second end 32 of the throat 24.
The wedge 12 includes a third face 34, a fourth face 36 and a terminal end 38. In the illustrated embodiment, the third face 34 and the fourth face 36 converge toward the terminal end 38.
As best illustrated in
The plunger 44 includes a proximal end 48, a distal end 50 and a retaining ring 52 between the proximal end and the distal end. The spring 46 engages the retaining ring 52.
As further illustrated in
As illustrated in
Reference is now made to
When one closes the closure 66, the closure and the wedge 12 secured thereto swing toward the body panel 72 and the receiver 14 as I illustrated by action arrow B in
Consistent with the above description, a method is provided of improving the NVH performance and reducing the closing effort of a motor vehicle closure 66. That method may be broadly described as comprising the steps of (a) providing a wedge 12 on a free edge of a motor vehicle closure 66 and (b) receiving that wedge in a throat 24 of a receiver 14 defined between a first stopper 18 and a second stopper 20 while engaging a terminal end 38 of that wedge with a plunger 44 positioned in the throat and adapted to dissipate closing energy of the motor vehicle closure.
The method may further include the step of providing the throat 24 with a first end 30 and a second end 32 wherein the first end is opened to receive the wedge 12. Further, the method may include the step of providing the first stopper 18 with a first face 26 and the second stopper 20 with a second face 28 wherein the first face and the second face define opposing sides of the throat 24 and the first face and the second face converge toward the second end 32 of the throat. Still further, the method may include the step of providing the wedge 12 with a third face 34 and a fourth face 36 wherein the third face and the fourth face converge toward the terminal end 38 of the wedge. As should be appreciated, the throat 24 is of a complimentary size to receive the wedge 12 when the closure 66 is closed with the first face juxtaposed to the third face and the second face juxtaposed to the fourth face.
Advantageously, the plunger 44 is loaded or biased by the spring 46 to both dissipate closure closing energy when the closure 66 is slammed closed by an operator and also to resist noise vibration and rattling once the closure latch mechanism is secured by maintaining pressure against the terminal end 38 of the wedge 12. Since the spring loaded plunger 44 dissipates closure closing energy, the throat 24 may be sized slightly larger to more easily receive the wedge 12 thereby reducing closure closing effort. This is possible because the spring loaded plunger 44 provides the necessary closure closing energy dissipation to allow proper latch mechanism function. Advantageously, the spring loaded plunger 44 also insures proper and trouble-free opening of the closure 66 by insuring that the closure passes the actuation range of the latch.
The foregoing has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally and equitably entitled.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2054449 | Seitz et al. | Sep 1936 | A |
5802671 | Ikuma | Sep 1998 | A |
7014258 | Schubring | Mar 2006 | B2 |
7308731 | Schubring | Dec 2007 | B2 |
7644973 | Carloni et al. | Jan 2010 | B2 |
8550508 | Gentile | Oct 2013 | B2 |
20060097550 | Wang et al. | May 2006 | A1 |
20080206033 | Carloni et al. | Aug 2008 | A1 |
20110127781 | Meidinger | Jun 2011 | A1 |
20110198872 | Gentile et al. | Aug 2011 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
137140 | Jan 1920 | GB |
298431 | Oct 1928 | GB |
393104 | Jun 1933 | GB |
200237705 | Nov 2001 | KR |
Entry |
---|
English Machine Translation of KR200237705U. |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20180087308 A1 | Mar 2018 | US |