Patent Application
20200262274
The present disclosure relates to a multi-function bracket for use in a motor vehicle door.
Multi-function brackets may provide several functions for a vehicle door. The multi-function bracket may be fastened to the vehicle door of a motor vehicle and include retaining features for a motor vehicle lock, or a window guide for receiving the window pane. Alternatively, the window guide may also be a separate structure of the multi-function bracket to be connected to a carrier plate. The multi-function bracket may also include mounting features for supporting or carrying a handle chassis.
According to one embodiment, a multi-function bracket for use in a motor vehicle door is provided. The multi-function bracket may include an elongated guide member that defines a slot that is configured to guide a window pane, a handle-chassis bracket extending from the elongated guide member, a slider including a first portion and a second portion, configured to receive a handle chassis, and a compressible member. The compressible member may be coupled to the second portion of the slider and have a compressed state and an uncompressed state. The slider may be configured to translate towards the handle chassis bracket when the compressible member changes from the uncompressed state to the compressed state.
According to another embodiment, a multi-function bracket configured to carry a handle chassis for use in a motor vehicle door is provided. The multi-function bracket may include an elongated guide member that defines a slot that is configured to guide a window pane, a handle-chassis bracket extending from the elongated guide member, and a slider. The slider may include a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is may be configured to receive a handle chassis and the second portion may define a mounting aperture configured to receive the handle chassis. The mounting aperture may include a projection that extends into the aperture. The projection may include a first portion extending in a first direction and a second portion extending in a second direction, different than the first direction.
According to yet another embodiment, a vehicle door is provided. The vehicle door may include a handle chassis, a window pane, and a multi-function bracket. The multi-function bracket may include an elongated guide member, a slider, and a compressible member. The guide member defines a slot configured to guide the window pane. The slider may include a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is may be configured to receive a handle chassis and the second portion may define a mounting aperture configured to receive the handle chassis. The mounting aperture may include a projection that extends into the aperture. The projection may include a first portion extending in a first direction and a second portion extending in a second direction, different than the first direction. The compressible member may be coupled to the second portion of the slider and have a compressed state and an uncompressed state. The slider may be configured to translate towards the handle chassis bracket when the compressible member changes from the uncompressed state to the compressed state and the handle chassis may be configured to move from a first side of the projection to a second side of the projection towards the handle chassis bracket.
Embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein. It is to be understood, however, that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples and other embodiments can take various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features could be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the embodiments. As those of ordinary skill in the art will understand, various features illustrated and described with reference to any one of the figures can be combined with features illustrated in one or more other figures to produce embodiments that are not explicitly illustrated or described. The combinations of features illustrated provide representative embodiments for typical applications. Various combinations and modifications of the features consistent with the teachings of this disclosure, however, could be desired for particular applications or implementations.
In one or more embodiments, the front-door LMM assembly 100 or rear-door LMM assembly 102 may have a width of approximately 140 mm. Whereas the narrowest opening defined by the door assembly 10 e.g., L1, may have a width of 125 mm. The discrepancy between the opening of the door assembly and the front-door LMM assembly 100 or rear-door LMM assembly 102 may be problematic for installing the front-door LMM assembly 100 or rear-door LMM assembly 102 to the recessed handle pocket 20.
A handle-chassis bracket 114 may extend from the guide member 140. In one or more embodiments, the handle-chassis bracket 114 may extend in a direction that is orthogonal to the guide member 140. A slider 118 and a compressible member 116 may be coupled to the handle chassis bracket 114. The slider 118 may include a first portion 120 and a second portion 122. The first portion 120 of the slider 118 may be configured to carry or support the handle chassis 104a, 104b.
The compressible member 116 may have a compressed state and an uncompressed state. When the compressible member 116 changes from the uncompressed state to the compressed state the slider 118 may move along the directional arrow D1 towards the handle chassis bracket 114. In one or more embodiments, force applied to a lower end of the compressible member may rotate the slider and a portion of the compressible member along the rotational arrow R. Changing the compressible member 116 from the uncompressed state to the compressed state may decrease the width of the front-door LMM assembly 100 and rear-door LMM assembly 102. The compressible member 116 may be formed of a foam such as a polyether foam.
In one embodiment, the compressible member may be one or more springs configured to change between a compressed and uncompressed state.
One or more protrusions may extend from the handle-chassis bracket 114. As on example, a protrusion, such as a retaining member 141 may extend through an aperture 124 defined by the second portion 122 of the slider 118. The retaining member 141 may couple the handle-chassis bracket 114 to the slider 118.
The second mounting aperture 158 may be L-shaped and include a first portion 160 and a second portion 156. The front or rear handle chassis may be configured to move between the first portion 150 of the first mounting aperture 146 and the first portion 160 of the second mounting aperture 158 to the second portion 154 of the first mounting aperture 146 and the second portion 156 of the second mounting aperture 158. Moving the handle chassis within the first and second portions of the first and second mounting apertures 146, 158 and along directional arrow D2 may decrease the width of front-door LMM and rear-door LMM.
The second portion 172 and the third portion 174 may each be sized to receive the first support wall 164a and the second support wall 164b. For example, the second and third portions 172 and 174 may be configured to engage the first support wall 164a and the second support wall 164b in an interference type fit. The aperture 171 may define a length L5 that may be sized to receive the protrusions, such as the ledge 166, of the handle-chassis bracket 114.
Parts List
The following is a list of reference numbers shown in the Figures. However, it should be understood that the use of these terms is for illustrative purposes only with respect to one embodiment. And, use of reference numbers correlating a certain term that is both illustrated in the Figures and present in the claims is not intended to limit the claims to only cover the illustrated embodiment.
While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms encompassed by the claims. The words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. As previously described, the features of various embodiments can be combined to form further embodiments of the invention that may not be explicitly described or illustrated. While various embodiments could have been described as providing advantages or being preferred over other embodiments or prior art implementations with respect to one or more desired characteristics, those of ordinary skill in the art recognize that one or more features or characteristics can be compromised to achieve desired overall system attributes, which depend on the specific application and implementation. These attributes can include, but are not limited to cost, strength, durability, life cycle cost, marketability, appearance, packaging, size, serviceability, weight, manufacturability, ease of assembly, etc. As such, to the extent any embodiments are described as less desirable than other embodiments or prior art implementations with respect to one or more characteristics, these embodiments are not outside the scope of the disclosure and can be desirable for particular applications.
