Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a bumper for a closure panel of a vehicle. More specifically, the present invention relates to a bumper that attaches to a flange on a mounting plate to control closure panel movement.
Background Information
Vehicles typically have several closure panels, such as doors for accessing a passenger compartment, and lift gates for accessing cargo areas. Conventional vehicle lift gates generally have two side bumpers positioned along the lift gate opening perimeter on the vehicle body. The bumpers are strips of rubber that attempt to prevent lift gate rattle and movement. However, the conventional bumpers do not effectively restrict lift gate movement in the vehicle longitudinal (X) direction and the vehicle width (Y) direction.
Additionally, many conventional vehicle lift gates include an over slam stopper that is installed on a vehicle body. The over slam stopper contacts a protrusion when the lift gate closes. The over slam stopper deforms when the lift gate closes to absorb impact shock, minimize impact noise, and avoid excessive insertion of the lift gate. However, as with the side bumpers, the over slam stopper does not restrict lift gate movement in the vehicle longitudinal (X) direction and the vehicle width (Y) direction.
Accordingly, to further advance lift gate stability, a need exists for an improved bumper for a lift gate.
It has been discovered that to reduce lift gate movement, and thus possible rattle during off-road driving conditions, a bumper that contours to an outer surface of the latch housing can be attached to a flange on a mounting plate for a striker bar.
In one disclosed embodiment, a closure panel latch assembly for a vehicle closure panel, comprises a mounting plate, a striker bar, a bumper flange extending from the mounting plate, and a bumper. The mounting plate includes a first surface, and the striker bar extends from the first surface of the mounting plate and is spaced from the bumper flange. The bumper comprises a base portion, a first retention member having a first distal end and extending from a first side of the base portion, and a second retention member having a second distal end and extending from a second side of the base portion opposite the first side, the base portion being configured to be positioned on the bumper flange with the first and second distal ends positioned on opposing sides of the striker bar.
In another disclosed embodiment, a vehicle lift gate assembly comprises a body structure, a closure panel latch assembly, and a lift gate. The body structure defines a lift gate opening. The lift gate is disposed on the body structure and is movable between an open position exposing the lift gate opening and a closed position concealing the lift gate opening. The closure panel latch assembly comprises a mounting plate mounted to the body structure and having a first surface, a bumper flange extending from the mounting plate, a striker bar extending from the first surface of the mounting plate and spaced from the bumper flange, and a bumper. The bumper comprises a base portion, a first retention member having a first distal end and extending from a first side of the base portion, and a second retention member having a second distal end and extending from a second side of the base portion opposite the first side, the base portion being configured to be disposed on the bumper flange with the first and second distal ends positioned on opposing sides of the striker bar. The latch structure is on the lift gate, and comprises a latch configured to engage the striker bar to retain the lift gate in the closed position, and a latch housing covering at least a portion of the latch member, the latch housing being positioned between the first and second retention members when the lift gate is in the closed position. The bumper is configured and arranged to form an interference fit with the latch housing.
Referring now to the attached drawings which form a part of this original disclosure:
Selected embodiments will now be explained with reference to the drawings. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that the following descriptions of the embodiments are provided for illustration only and not for the purpose of limiting the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
Referring initially to
In particular, the lift gate 14 is attached to an upper portion of the body structure 12 by a hinge (not shown) to be movable between the closed and open positions, and the lift gate closure panel latch assembly 16 is disposed on a lower portion of body structure 12 of the vehicle 10 to retain the lift gate 14 in the closed position. That is, the lift gate 16 is in general on a rear portion of the vehicle 14 and is configured to swing from a lowered position to a raised position so as to enable access to a storage area or a rear portion of the vehicle. However, it is noted that the lift gate 16 (or door 13) can be disposed on any suitable portion of vehicle 16 and may swing or open in any suitable manner.
As shown in
The latch structure 19 is movable with the lift gate 14 relative to the striker assembly 18 and comprises a latch 28 configured to engage the striker bar 24 to retain the lift gate 14 in the closed position, and a latch housing 30 at least partially surrounding the latch member or latch 28 (
The bumper 22 of the striker assembly 18 is configured and arranged to form an interference fit with the latch housing 30. That is, as shown in
As shown in
In this embodiment, the bumper flange 38 extends from the perimeter edge 44 of the mounting plate 20; however, the bumper flange 38 may extend from any suitable portion of the mounting plate, such as the first surface 26. In this embodiment, the bumper flange 38 extends from the perimeter edge 44, along a rearward or outermost side with respect to the vehicle when installed to the body structure 12, and has a width generally the same as the side from which it extends. The bumper flange 38 may extend substantially perpendicularly to the mounting plate 20, and has a first surface 46 facing the striker bar 24, a second surface 48 opposite the first surface 46, a first side edge 50, a second side edge 52, and a top edge 54 at a distal end 55 opposite the first surface 26 of the mounting plate 20. Each of the first side edge 50, second side edge 52, and top edge 54 extends from the first surface 46 to the second surface 48. In this embodiment, the first surface 46 and second surface 48 of the bumper flange 38 have generally rectangular shapes. However, the bumper flange 38 may have any suitable configuration, and the bumper flange 38 may be one of a plurality of bumper flanges 38.
The top edge 54 of bumper flange 38 defines a retention slot 56 disposed or located thereon. The retention slot may vary in width between the first side edge 50 and second side edge 52 along its length. That is, the retention slot 56 may extend from the top edge 54 toward the mounting plate 20 in a length direction, and extend from the first surface 46 to the second surface 48 in a depth direction. The retention slot 56 defines a first predetermined width W1 adjacent the top edge 54 and a second predetermined width W2 closer to the mounting plate 26 that is greater than the first predetermined width W1 (
The striker bar 24 may be formed of any suitable metal material, and preferably extends from the first surface 26 of the mounting plate 20, and is spaced from the bumper flange 38; however, the striker bar 24 may extend from any suitable portion of the mounting plate 20. In this embodiment, the striker bar has a first portion 58, a second portion 60 and a third portion 62. The first portion 58 is disposed closest to the bumper flange 38 and has a first end 64 and a second end 66. The first end 64 of the first portion 58 is non-detachably fixed to the first surface 26 of the mounting plate 20 and the first portion 58 extends substantially perpendicularly from the first surface 26 of the mounting plate 20. The second portion 60 is disposed in a position spaced from the bumper flange 38 and has a first end 68 and a second end 70. The first end 68 of the second portion 60 is non-detachably fixed to the first surface 26 of the mounting plate 20 and the second portion 60 extends substantially perpendicularly from the first surface 26 of the mounting plate 20. The third portion 62 has a first end 72 and a second end 74. The first end 72 of the third portion 62 is non-detachably fixed to the second end 66 of the first portion 58, and the second end 74 of the third portion 62 is non-detachably fixed to the second end 70 of the second portion 60. The third portion 62, thus extends between the first portion 58 and the second portion 60 and is substantially perpendicular to each of the first and second portions 58 and 60. Moreover, in this embodiment, the third portion 62 is substantially parallel to a plane defined by the first surface 26 of the mounting plate 20.
Thus, as shown in
The base portion 75 has a substantially rectangular cross-sectional height and width. That is, the base portion 75 extends outwardly from the first and second retention members 76, 78 to form a rectangular shaped projection. The base portion 75 has a first side 84 from which the first retention member 76 extends, and a second side 86 from which the second retention member 78 extends. The bottom surface 92 of the bumper 22 at the base portion 74 defines a mounting recess 94 for receiving the bumper flange 38.
That is, as shown in
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Turning to
As illustrated in
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Additionally, in this embodiment, as shown in
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Moreover, as shown in
The first and second retention members 76 and 78 are configured such that when the interior surface 93 of the bumper is in contact with the latch housing 30, as described above, the latch housing 30 is positioned between the first and second retention members 76 and 78 when the lift gate 14 is in the closed position. Thus, the retention members 76 and 78 push inwardly on the latch housing 30. In other words, the third radius R3 and the fourth radius R4 defined by the portions of the interior surface are the same or slightly less than the first radius R1 and the second radius R2 defined by the latch housing 30. This structure and arrangement results in an interference fit between the bumper 22 and the latch housing 30 that reduces or eliminates lift gate movement in the vehicle longitudinal (X) direction and the vehicle width (Y) direction while the lift gate 14 is in the closed position.
If desired, material may be removed from the first and second retention members 76 and 78 to tune their stiffness. For example, holes can be formed (e.g., drilled) in the first and second retention members 76 and 78 to reduce stiffness. Such a structure would enable a variance in the stiffness of the retention members 76 and 78 to enable the embodiment to adjust to specific vehicle latch housings 30.
The latch 28, the vehicle body structure 12, and the closure panels C (doors 13 and lift gate 14) are conventional components that are well known in the art. Since these components are well known in the art, the details of these structures will not be discussed or illustrated in detail herein. Rather, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that the components can be any type of structure that can be used to carry out the present invention. In understanding the scope of the present invention, the term “comprising” and its derivatives, as used herein, are intended to be open ended terms that specify the presence of the stated features, elements, components, groups, integers, and/or steps, but do not exclude the presence of other unstated features, elements, components, groups, integers and/or steps. The foregoing also applies to words having similar meanings such as the terms, “including”, “having” and their derivatives. Also, the terms “part,” “section,” “portion,” “member” or “element” when used in the singular can have the dual meaning of a single part or a plurality of parts. Also as used herein to describe the above embodiment(s), the following directional terms “top”, “bottom” and “front”, as well as any other similar directional terms refer to those directions of a vehicle equipped with the Anti-Rattle Lift Gate Striker. Accordingly, these terms, as utilized to describe the present invention should be interpreted relative to a vehicle equipped with the Anti-Rattle Lift Gate Striker.
The term “configured” as used herein to describe a component, section or part of a device includes hardware and/or software that is constructed and/or programmed to carry out the desired function.
The terms of degree such as “substantially”, “about” and “approximately” as used herein mean a reasonable amount of deviation of the modified term such that the end result is not significantly changed.
While only selected embodiments have been chosen to illustrate the present invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that various changes and modifications can be made herein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. For example, the size, shape, location or orientation of the various components can be changed as needed and/or desired. Components that are shown directly connected or contacting each other can have intermediate structures disposed between them. The functions of one element can be performed by two, and vice versa. The structures and functions of one embodiment can be adopted in another embodiment. It is not necessary for all advantages to be present in a particular embodiment at the same time. Every feature which is unique from the prior art, alone or in combination with other features, also should be considered a separate description of further inventions by the applicant, including the structural and/or functional concepts embodied by such feature(s). Thus, the foregoing descriptions of the embodiments according to the present invention are provided for illustration only, and not for the purpose of limiting the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
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