Patent Application
20180298647
This disclosure relates generally to locking mechanisms for vehicle doors. In particular, the disclosure relates to a supplemental locking mechanism for a center-opening vehicle door assembly.
When a vehicle is in motion, the vehicle door panels are subjected to significant vibration. This can be a particular problem for a vehicle equipped with a center-opening front and rear door assembly. Such vehicles typically include a front-hinge mounted front door panel and a rear-hinge mounted rear door panel, and are called center-opening because of the respective directions in which the front-hinge mounted front door panel and the rear-hinge mounted rear door panel swing while opening, i.e. they open from the center of the assembly. For such configurations, for reasons of space and rear-seat accessibility by passengers typically the vehicle is not provided with a fixed-hinge pillar by which the front door panel rear edge and the rear door front edge could be supported in a closed configuration. If the front door panel and rear door panel are not well-supported, the vibrations generated when the vehicle is in motion can create relative motion between the two panels resulting in impacts on door cutlines or primary seals, which in turn creates an undesired door to primary seal slap noise.
Existing measures to reduce door slap and attendant noise include bump stops and seal stuffers, which are costly and lack robustness. Therefore, to address this problem the present disclosure is directed to a supplemental locking mechanism, and to center-opening door assemblies incorporating same, which reduce or eliminate the tendency of the front-hinge mounted front door panel and the rear-hinge mounted rear door panel to move relative to one another when the vehicle is in motion.
In accordance with the purposes and benefits described herein, in one aspect of the present disclosure a supplemental locking mechanism for a vehicle center-opening door assembly is provided, comprising a first retaining member carried by a first door panel upper latch mechanism and a second retaining member associated with a second door panel and adapted to engage the first retaining member on placing the first door panel and the second door panel in a closed and latched position. In an embodiment, the first retaining member is a receiver and the second retaining member is a pin. In an alternative embodiment, the first retaining member is a pin and the second retaining member is a receiver.
The receiver may be operatively connected to the upper latch mechanism and the pin may be disposed on the second door panel. The receiver may travel in a vehicle-fore-aft sliding motion or a vehicle-up-down motion according to an operation of the vehicle rear door panel upper latching mechanism. In an alternative embodiment, the pin may be operatively connected to the upper latch mechanism and the receiver may be disposed on the second door panel.
In another aspect of the disclosure, a center-opening door assembly for a vehicle is provided, comprising a front-hinged door panel including a first retaining member disposed on an upper portion thereof and a rear-hinged door panel including an upper latch mechanism carrying a second retaining member adapted to engage the first retaining member on placing the front-hinged door panel and the rear-hinged door panel in a closed and latched position. In embodiments, the first retaining member is a receiver and the cooperating second retaining member is a pin. In alternative embodiments, the first retaining member is a pin and the cooperating second retaining member is a receiver.
The receiver may be operatively connected to the upper latch mechanism and the pin may be disposed on the front-hinged door panel. The receiver may travel in a vehicle-fore-aft sliding motion or a vehicle-up-down motion according to an operation of the upper latch mechanism. In alternative embodiments, the pin may be operatively connected to the upper latch mechanism and the receiver may be disposed on the front-hinged door panel.
In yet another aspect of the disclosure, methods for reducing undesired motion and noise in a vehicle center-opening door assembly are described, comprising providing a first door panel including a first retaining member disposed on an upper portion thereof and a second door panel including an upper latch mechanism carrying a second retaining member adapted to capture the first retaining member on placing the first door panel and the second door panel in a closed and latched position. In embodiments, the first retaining member may be configured as a receiver and the second retaining member may be configured as a pin. In alternative embodiments, the first retaining member may be configured as a pin and the second retaining member may be configured as a receiver.
In embodiments, the method includes operatively connecting the receiver to the upper latch mechanism and disposing the pin on the first door panel. The receiver may be adapted for a travel path defining a vehicle-fore-aft sliding motion or a vehicle-up-down motion according to an operation of the upper latch mechanism. In alternative embodiments, the method includes operatively connecting the pin to the upper latch mechanism and disposing the receiver on the first door panel.
In the following description, there are shown and described embodiments of the disclosed supplemental locking system for a center-opening door assembly. As it should be realized, the devices are capable of other, different embodiments and their several details are capable of modification in various, obvious aspects all without departing from the devices and methods 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 disclosed supplemental locking system for a center-opening door assembly, and together with the description serve to explain certain principles thereof. In the drawings:
Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the disclosed supplemental locking system for a center-opening door assembly, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing figures. The figures are not necessarily to scale and some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. The specific structural and functional details disclosed are not to be interpreted as limiting, but as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art how to practice the disclosed concepts.
To avoid the above-identified problems of normal motion of the rear hinge-mounted rear door panel 106 relative to the front hinge-mounted front door panel 108 in a closed configuration during vehicle travel, with reference to
In an embodiment (see
In an embodiment (see
In embodiments, it is contemplated to associate the described pin 126 with a door panel as shown in
In one possible embodiment, with reference to
On actuating the upper latch mechanism 110 (see arrow) to engage a striker (not shown), the receiver 128 is likewise articulated whereby the pin-engaging portion 136 engages the pin 126. The enlarged head 132 prevents inadvertent separation of the pin 126 and receiver 128. In the depicted embodiment, the receiver 128 is carried by the upper latch mechanism 110 whereby articulation of the upper latch mechanism as described causes a vehicle fore-and-aft movement of the receiver 128 to engage or release the pin 126.
In an alternative embodiment, as shown in
On actuating the upper latch mechanism 110 (see arrow A) to engage a striker (not shown), the receiver 128 is likewise articulated whereby the receiver translates in a vehicle-up direction and the pin-engaging portion 136 engages the pin 126. The enlarged head 132 prevents inadvertent separation of the pin 126 and receiver 128.
In yet another alternative embodiment, the receiver 128 may be associated with a door panel and the pin 126 may be adapted for movement, for example by associating the pin with the upper latch mechanism 110. With reference to
So, by the described mechanisms the supplemental locking mechanism 124 secures the upper portion of the front hinge-mounted front door panel 108 to the rear hinge-mounted rear door panel 106 when the center-opening door assembly 102 is placed in a closed and latched configuration, with the attendant benefits of reducing or eliminating motion of the front hinge-mounted front door panel 108 normal to the rear hinge-mounted rear door panel 106 when the vehicle is in motion. In use, a user need only translate the center-opening door assembly 102 to a closed configuration, i.e. swinging the rear hinge-mounted rear door panel 106 and the front hinge-mounted front door panel 108 towards each other and towards a center portion of the vehicle passenger cabin 104, and latch the door panels by the upper and lower latching mechanisms 110, 112 and the mid-mounted striker 122. Concurrently, by the action of the upper latching mechanism 110, the attached cooperating receiver 128 engages the pin 126, thus providing a secure attachment for the upper portion of the front hinge-mounted front door panel 108 and reducing the tendency of the front door panel to exhibit normal motion relative to the rear panel during vehicle 100 operation and travel.
The supplemental locking mechanism 124 may be configured to secure the center-opening door assembly 102 any time the door panels are closed and latched. Alternatively, the supplemental locking mechanism 124 may be configured to secure the center-opening door assembly 102 only as the vehicle 100 reaches a predetermined speed. This can be implemented by one or more vehicle controllers (not shown) configured to apply a door locking algorithm as is known in the art. The specific details of such controller-implemented door locking algorithms and mechanisms exceed the scope of the present disclosure, and do not require extensive discussion herein. However, at a high level, in an embodiment the mechanism is activated only when the vehicle 100 reaches the predetermined speed set by the door locking algorithm, to prevent issues with vehicle entry/exit when parked.
As will readily be appreciated, the supplemental locking mechanism 124 as described herein provides a simple, effective device and method for reducing or preventing motion of an upper portion of a front hinge-mounted front door 108, without otherwise hindering normal operations of a center-opening door assembly 102 such as opening/closing. By the location of the supplemental locking mechanism 124, front hinge-mounted front door panel 108 impact velocity on seals associated with the rear hinge-mounted rear door panel 106 is reduced, reducing door slap noise. As a further advantage, minimal packaging space is required to incorporate the supplemental locking mechanism 124.
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.
