U.S. patent number 3,589,069 [Application Number 05/018,180] was granted by the patent office on 1971-06-29 for vehicle door mounting.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Automobiles Peugeot, Regie Nationale des Usines Renault. Invention is credited to Alexandre Lecomte.
United States Patent |
3,589,069 |
Lecomte |
June 29, 1971 |
VEHICLE DOOR MOUNTING
Abstract
This mounting for a door of vehicle adapted to open by pivoting
to an upper position about a fixed pivot shaft extending
transversely to the main plane of the door is characterized in that
the door engaging a frame structure of the vehicle body in the
closed position is operatively connected to a ring member slidably
fitted on, and rotatably rigid with, a socket rotatably mounted on,
but axially fixed in relation to, said pivot shaft receiving said
door in overhanging relationship, said door carrying in the
vicinity of the fastening of said shaft a plate adapted to support
control members pivoted between said plate, said door and said ring
member, whereby the actuation of said control member will cause a
movement of translation of said ring member on said socket to free
the door from its frame structure or reinserting the door into said
frame structure before or after its pivotal movement.
Inventors: |
Lecomte; Alexandre
(Billancourt, FR) |
Assignee: |
Regie Nationale des Usines
Renault (Billancourt, Hauts de Seine, FR)
Automobiles Peugeot (Paris, FR)
|
Family
ID: |
9030429 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/018,180 |
Filed: |
March 10, 1970 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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Mar 10, 1969 [FR] |
|
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6,906,746 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
49/257; 49/278;
296/202; 296/146.11; 49/41; 49/385 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60J
5/0472 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B60J
5/04 (20060101); E05d 015/58 () |
Field of
Search: |
;49/385,41,40,208,158,257,258,279,281,276,278 ;220/30.5,30.6 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Downey; Kenneth
Claims
What I claim as new is:
1. A vehicle door mounting for opening the door by a pivoting same
towards an upper position about a fixed pivot shaft extending
transversely to the main plane of the door, characterized in that
the door engaging a frame structure in the closed position is
connected to a ring member slidably fitted on, but rotatably solid
with, a socket rotatably mounted on, but axially fixed in relation
to, said shaft on which the door is mounted in overhanging
relationship, said door carrying in the vicinity of the fastening
of said shaft a plate acting as a support of control members
pivotally mounted between said plate, said door and said ring,
whereby the actuation of said control members is attended by a
movement of translation of said ring of said socket in order to
either free the door from said frame structure or refitting the
door into this frame structure, said door being thus adapted, when
released from said frame structure, to pivot about said shaft to
its open position, a spiral compensator spring being interposed
between said shaft and said supporting plate.
2. Door mounting according to claim 1, characterized in that said
control members comprise at least one first link pivoted to said
ring member and a driven bellcrank lever fulcrumed to said
supporting plate and to said link, said bellcrank lever and said
link coacting to provide a knee-action such that an overcenter
position is obtained at the end of the movement of translation of
said door away from its frame structure, in order to provide a
safety catch and locking action in this position.
3. Door mounting according to claim 2, characterized in that said
bellcrank lever is pivotally connected to another link also pivoted
to a control lever pivotally mounted to the door panel, the
relationship between said control lever and said other link being
such that an overcenter position is obtained at the end of the
movement of translation of said door in its frame structure, in
order to obtain a safety catch and locking action in this
position.
4. Door mounting according to claim 1, characterized in that the
connection between the door and the ring member comprises resilient
members adapted to provide a certain resilient clearance of the
door panel and thus permit of slamming the door to its closed
condition.
5. Door mounting according to claim 4, characterized in that said
connection comprises a pair of trunnions disposed between said ring
member and the door panel, said trunnions being aligned to a
substantially vertical axis.
6. Door mounting according to claim 1, characterized in that a
fixed adjustable stop member is provided on the vehicle and adapted
to be engaged by said supporting plate in the endmost positions of
the pivotal movements of said door about said pivot shaft.
Description
The present invention relates in general to the mounting of doors
of automotive vehicles and has specific reference to the mounting
of a vehicle door adapted to open by pivoting to a raised position
about a fixed axis extending transversely to the main plane of the
door.
It is the essential object of this invention to solve the difficult
problems inherent to the parking of motor vehicles in towns and in
public or private closed or covered garages.
A solution has already been proposed which consists of a door
adapted to be raised by simply pivoting same about an axis located
substantially at the level of the instrument panel. Now this method
is applicable only to a particular body style and also to a very
particular body stamping pattern, in order to provide the taper or
clearance necessary to permit the pivoting movement of the door.
Basically, the roof must be cut out to a substantial degree, thus
depriving the passengers of the vehicle of the shelter which they
normally have in case of bad weather in a conventional vehicle.
Moreover, in the case of a two-door, four-seat vehicle having
necessarily relatively long doors the vertical clearance required
when opening these doors is very considerable and may give rise to
difficulties when operating these doors in underground or covered
garages.
It is the essential object of the present invention to avoid the
inconveniences set forth hereinabove by providing a door mounting
wherein the door, in the closed position, engages a frame structure
and is adapted to be opened by pivoting to an upper position as
mentioned hereinabove, this mounting comprising pivot means and
control members so associated that the door is movable on the one
hand by translation parallel to its plane and on the other hand
according to the aforesaid pivoting movement.
To this end, the mounting according to this invention for a door
adapted to be opened by pivoting about a fixed shaft extending
transversely to the main plane of the door is characterized
essentially in that the door normally engaging a frame structure in
its closed position is connected to a ring member slidably mounted
on, and rotatably rigid with, a socket mounted in turn for rotation
about but axially stationary in relation to, said pivot shaft
receiving said door in overhanging relationship, said door carrying
in the vicinity of the zone in which said shaft is secured thereto
a plate supporting control members pivotally mounted between said
plate, said door and said ring, whereby the actuation of said
control members is attended by a movement of translation of said
ring on said socket in order to either free the door from said
frame structure or refit the door into this frame structure, said
door being thus adapted, when released from said frame structure,
to pivot about said shaft to its open position, a spiral
compensator spring being interposed between said shaft and said
supporting plate.
Other features characterizing the door mounting according to this
invention will appear as the following description of a typical
form of embodiment thereof proceeds with reference to the
accompanying diagrammatic drawing, in which:
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic general view of a motor vehicle equipped
with a door according to this invention;
FIG. 2 illustrates the various steps of the door opening and
closing movements;
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the door, taken at
the level of its pivotal mounting and of its control members, the
door being shown in its closed position;
FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the door spaced from
its frame structure;
FIGS. 5 and 6 are detail views of the control members, shown in
sections taken along the lines V-V and VI-VI of FIG. 3,
respectively;
FIGS. 7 to 10 are other detail sections taken along the lines
VII-VII, VIII-VIII, IX -IX and X-X of FIG. 4, respectively, and
FIG. 11 is a section taken along the line XI-XI of FIG. 9 and
illustrating a detail.
Referring first to FIG. 1, this general, simplified view shows on a
vehicle a door mounting according to this invention; the door 1 is
shown in its closed position (thick lines) in which it fits in a
conventional door frame structure, and also in its open position
(dash and dot lines), the door being to pivot from to the other
position about a pivot axis shown diagrammatically at 2, which
extends transversely to the main plane of the door, the door being
also adapted, as will be explained presently, to be moved in
translation along this axis for either releasing the door from its
frame structure during the opening movement, or reengaging the door
into this frame structure during the closing movement.
As illustrated more in detail in FIGS. 3 and 4, the door panel 1
shown only partially (like the frame structure 3) comprises pivot
means including an overhanging pivot shaft 4 having one of its ends
rigidly secured, for example by riveting, to a baseplate 5 for
mounting the pivot means; this baseplate 5 is secured in turn to a
stress-distributing plate 6 riveted to a lateral body member 7 of
the vehicle. The baseplate 5 is secured in a manner permitting its
adjustment as a function of the desired door position by means of
bolts 8 engaging with their screw shanks adjustable holes 9 of
greater cross-sectional dimensions, their nuts being tightened
against counterplates 10 to prevent any sliding movement of the
mounting.
Rotatably mounted on the shaft 4 by means of end bearings 11 and 12
is a socket 13 axially retained on said shaft by a shoulder formed
on end bearing 12 and also by a stop washer 14 associated with this
bearing and retained by a diametral pin 15 extending through the
outer end of shaft 4. The socket 13 has a splined external surface
and has fitted thereon a ring member 16 formed with corresponding
internal splines so that this ring member can slide on, but is
rotatably rigid with, said socket 13. This ring member 16 is
connected on the other hand to the door panel through a plate 17
riveted to said panel and connected preferably with a resilient
clearance to said ring member 16, for a reason to be explained
presently, through the medium of a pair of trunnions 18 mounted in
opposite relationship in said ring and through a pair of opposite
lateral bent lugs 19 of plate 17, the resilient clearance being
obtained in this case by means of a pair of rubber pads 20 clamped
between the plate 17 and projections 21 of ring 16 on which they
are fitted while leaving a certain air-cushion therebetween.
The trunnions 18 having a substantially vertical orientation in the
closed-door position are also effective for securing the door
control members comprising two parallel links 22 pivoted on the one
hand to said trunnions 18 and on the other hand, with the
assistance of pins 23, to the ends of parallel arms of a bellcrank
lever 24 fulcrumed by means of a pivot pin 25 to a strap 26 secured
to a plate 27 rigid in turn with the socket 13. The parallel arms
of lever 24 are interconnected by a rod 24a and one of these arms
having a perpendicular extension is pivoted through the medium of a
pivot pin 28 to a link 29 pivoted in turn, through a pivot pin 30,
to a control lever 31. The latter is pivoted to the door panel via
a support 32 and pivot pin 33, and comprises an inner control
handle 34, and is connected on the other hand to the external door
handle 35 and to the corresponding lock (see FIG. 1), through the
medium of a linkage system mounted within the door panel, as shown
diagrammatically at 36 in FIGS. 3 and 4, and pivotally connected at
37 to one portion of lever 31 which extends within the door
panel.
A spiral spring 38 for compensating the weight of the door 1 has
its central portion rigidly anchored to the pivot shaft 4 by
engaging a pair of flat faces thereof FIG. 9, and its outer or free
end is shaped to constitute a connecting eyelet or loop associated
with a pin 39 adapted to be secured to plate 27 by engaging this
spring eyelet or loop in the free or unstressed condition, this
step being carried out in an open door position corresponding to a
slight overstepping of the raised position of the door in which the
latter is in an unstable equilibrium, for safety reasons, the
spring 38 being effective to retain the door beyond this position
by unwinding, and to retain the door in the closing direction by
winding.
The plate 27 is formed with a pair of integral lugs 40 and having
bent edges adapted to engage a stop member 42 of resilient material
carried by a support 43 adjustably secured to plate 5 by means of a
pair of bolts 44 passing through elongated holes 45 formed in said
plate 5.
This pivotal mounting and control system for vehicle doors operates
as follows:
In the closed-door condition shown in FIG. 3, it will be noted that
any force tending to push the door out from its frame structure is
attended by a tractive effort in the direction T which is exerted
by the trunnions 18 on links 22 and tends to pivot the bellcrank
lever 24 in the counterclockwise direction producing at the pivot
point 30 a thrust exerted by the link 29 in the direction P, this
point being at an overcenter position in relation to pivot pin 33
of control lever 31, in the direction to urge the latter in its
closed position in which it is already in abutting engagement at
31a with said link 29. Under these conditions, it is clear that an
efficient locking action counteracting any undesired or accidental
opening is obtained, this action corresponding to an overcenter
condition or knee-action of the door-closing system; in other
words, during the final portion of its movement the pivot pin 30
oversteps the imaginary line interconnecting the axes of pivot pins
28 and 33.
The door can be opened from within the vehicle by moving the
control lever 31, during a first period, in the direction of the
arrow 0, i.e. from the position shown in FIG. 3 to that shown in
FIG. 4 (in which the lever 31 abutes at 31b against its mounting
bracket or like support 32), thus causing on the one hand the
initial opening of the door lock by pulling the linkage 36, this
opening movement being facilitated by overstepping the dead center
condition of members 31 and 29 in the closed position. On the other
hand, the bellcrank lever 24 is caused to pivot in the
counterclockwise direction and to push through links 22 the
trunnions 18 of ring 16, whereby the latter is caused to slide
axially along the socket 13 and thus push the door panel 1 out from
its frame structure to an extent providing a clearance J (FIG. 4
and phase II OF FIG. 2). This door-releasing movement of
translation permits, upon completion, of opening the door during a
second period consisting, still by actuating the handle 34 of lever
31, in pivoting the door about the shaft 4 to the raised or fully
open position shown in dash and dot lines in FIG. 2 (step III), due
to the provision of the rotating socket 13 and plate 27 rigid
therewith, this movement being facilitated by the compensator
spring 38; furthermore, the lug 41 of plate 27 engages the
resilient stop member 42 in the fully open door position. It will
be noted that at the end of the movement of tanslation causing the
door to be released from the frame structure of the vehicle body,
any transverse force tending to reinsert the door into this frame
structure, i.e. moving the ring 16 back along the socket 13, is
positively counteracted by the positions assumed by the door
control members.
In fact, any effort exerted in the direction R against the ring 16
is attended by a thrust exerted against the links 22 carried by
pivot pins 18 and 33, which tends (considering the particular
angular position of these links 22 in relation to the fulcrum 25 of
the bellcrank lever 24) to pivot this bellcrank 24 in the
counterclockwise direction, thus "confirming" the open door
position shown in FIG. 4 whereby the lever 31 is already in
abutting relationship at 31b with its support 32. Under these
conditions it is clear that a locking action preventing any
untimely backward movement of translation of the door is produced,
as a consequence of the overstepping of the dead center position of
the opening control members; in other words, during this movement
the pivot pin 23 passes from one to the other side of the imaginary
line interconnecting the pivot pins 18 and 25.
To close the door the operation comprises the steps of firstly
pivoting the door about the shaft 4 in the opposite direction to
restore the door to its lower position in which it registers with
the frame structure 3; this movement is obtained by actuating
either the inner handle 34 or the external handle 35, the
compensator spring 38 ensuring an easy control of this movement,
and the lug 40 of plate 27 ensures a convenient limitation of this
movement by engaging the resilient and adjustable abutment member
42, in order properly to position the door in relation to its frame
structure (step IV of FIG. 2).
Due to the resilient mounting of ring 16 in the door panel, the
latter can pivot slightly to move the lock side outwards, so that
the door can be slammed; in other words, the door is thus caused to
pivot about the trunnions 18 as illustrated in step of FIG. 2,
before beginning its movement of translation for reinserting or
refitting the door into its frame structure, this movement of
translation being obtained by either raising the inner handle 34
(i.e. in the direction opposite to that shown by the arrow 0), or
inserting a corresponding action on the external handle 35 to
obtain the closed condition illustrated in step VI of FIG. 2.
It will be readily apparent to those conversant with the art that
in this form of embodiment the door may be provided with all its
necessary operating and mounting elements before fitting the door
in its frame structure, this fitting consisting in securing, and
adjusting the position of, the baseplate 5 to plate 6, the anchor
pin 39 between the supporting plate 27 and the compensator spring
38 being subsequently fitted after opening and raising the door as
already explained in the foregoing.
Of course, various modifications and variations may be brought to
the specific form of embodiment of the present invention which is
shown and described herein, without departing from the scope of the
invention as set forth in the appended claims.
* * * * *