GB1577566A - Doorcontrol device in particular for automotive vehicles - Google Patents

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO A DOOR-CONTROL DEVICE, IN PARTICULAR FOR AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLES We, CHRYSLER FRANCE, a Body Corporate organized under the laws of France, of 136, Avenue des Champs ElysCes-- 75008 Paris, France do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The present invention relates to devices for controlling hinged doors in doorways, and in particular to devices for controlling automotive vehicle doors.

It is customary to use door-control devices which allow a door to be retained in fully open or nearly fully open position preventing the door from closing unexpectedly, e.g.

under the action of a draught. Such devices, during closing of the door, offer a certain resistance at the beginning of the closing motion of the door from its fully open position. The said devices also have the advantage of exerting a braking action during the opening of the door, in particular towards the end of the opening motion, thus avoiding damaging or forcing the door hinges.

The known devices suffer from the disadvantages of being rather readily damageable, liable to wear and of requiring rather difficult operations for their replacement, repair or adjustment when they no longer function satisfactorily. In addition, they are often noisy, for they are liable to grating and jamming.

According to the present invention, there is provided a device for controlling a hinged door in a doorway comprising two cooperating members for attachment to the doorway and door respectively, one of the parts being in the form of a cam and the other of the parts being in the form of a roller having a resilient mounting for attachment to the respective one of the door and doorway, the roller being capable of rolling on the cam while being squeezed against it at least towards the end of the opening motion of the door, the pressure of application of the roller on the cam diminishing in proximity to the point of full opening of the door, the resilient mounting being subjected to at least part of the pressure of application of the roller on the cam thereby allowing the door to be held in open position, and the roller having at least two different thicknesses measured from the axis of rotation of the roller, to provide an adjustment of the surface of the roller to engage the cam.

When the device as described above is used for a vehicle door, the cam of said one part may be integral with a frame of the doorway for the vehicle door and said other part having the roller may be attached to a side pillar of the door.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional, partially broken-away view of a door-holding device according to the invention, wherein the door is shown in its fully open position; Figure 2 is a broken-away partial sectional view through the axis of the roller and along the broken line II-II of Figure 1; Figures 3 to 6 diagrammatically illustrate the successive relative positions of the various parts of the device when the door is moving from its fully open position (Figure 3) to its closed position (Figure 6).

According to the form of embodiment illustrated, the door-holding device comprises essentially two co-operating members, one of which is in the form of a cam 210 whereas the other is in the form of a resiliently mounted roller assembly 211 capable of rolling on the cam while being compressed or squeezed against it over a certain angle of rotation of the door in proximity to the point of full opening of the latter (Figures 3, 4 and 5).

More specifically, the roller assembly 211 comprises a roller 50 which is polygonal in section, pentagonal in the example illustrated, and is pivotally mounted about a pivot pin 212. The pivot pin 212 is itself mounted on a support 213 comprising two cheeks 213a, 213b (Figure 2) provided with openings 231, 232 through which the pivot pin 212 passes.

The two cheeks 213a, 213b are interconnected by a metal leaf or plate 21 3c constituting the greater part of the support 213 and provided at one of its ends with an orifice 51 for a fastening screw 36 securing the plate 213c in the wall 216 of the door pillar.

At 239 is seen a rubber block, e.g. a foam rubber block, acting upon the resilient plate 213c and assisting the return motion of the resilient plate during the door braking movement as will appear later. The block 239 is mounted on the plate in any suitable manner, for example by being provided with projections 240 which engage orifices 241 of the plate 213c.

At 219 is seen the outer surface of the door (Figure 1).

As appears in Figure 2, in order to prevent free rotation of the pentagonal roller 50 about its pivot pin 212, there is provided a braking means such as for example a Belleville spring washer 52, at at least one end of the roller 50 between the inner face of a cheek such as 213b and the adjacent side face 50a of the roller. Thereafter the pivot pin 212 is suitably positioned, e.g.

riveted.

The operation of the device illustrated will now be described referring more particularly to Figures 3 to 6.

In the position illustrated in Figure 3, which corresponds to the fully open position of the door also illustrated in Figure 1, it is seen that the pentagonal roller 50 bears with its plane face a against a substantially plane portion of the cam 210 formed by the side post of the door frame. In that position the rubber block 239 is only slightly squeezed.

This allows the door to be retained in its fully open position. This slightly squeezed condition is easily obtained at the factory upon first adjustment by so rotating the pentagonal roller 50 as to allow one of its faces a, b, c, d or e to meet this requirement.

Owing to the eccentricity of the arrangement, this presents no problem, a pentagonal roller thus automatically providing a choice between five different adjustments.

When the door begins its progressive closing motion from the position illustrated in Figure 3 to the one represented in Figure 4 by rotating about its axis of rotation shown at 217, the roller 50 bearing upon the cam 210 rolls and rotates by rubbing against it.

This rotary motion is braked by the braking action exerted by the Belleville washer 52 (Figure 2). Furthermore in view of the geometry of the arrangement, this closing motion is possible only by squeezing and deforming the block 239 which thus offers the desired resistance at the beginning of the closing motion of the door.

As the closing of the door continues, the door passes a position at which there is maximum squeezing of the rubber block 239, leading, in the position illustrated in Figure 5, to the unsqueezing of the rubber block 239, the face a of the roller 50 rolling on a projection 210a of the cam 210. Thereafter the roller 50 is released until the door is fully closed, which position is illustrated in Figure 6.

When the door is opened the same process takes place but in the opposite sequence, the roller 50 always presenting the same face a against the cam 210 barring a modification of the adjustment which can be quickly and readily made by a garage mechanic.

As regards the material constituting the roller 50, it may advantageously consist of a relatively rigid and low-wear plastics material such as an acetal resin, " delrin " (Registered Trade Mark) or nylon. A sufficiently rigid rubber may also be found to be suitable.

In the example illustrated, a polygonal, more precisely pentagonal, section has been selected for the roller. In practice such a section is altogether satisfactory for it is relatively simple and already offers five possibilities of easy adjustment to be selected by selecting a suitable one of the faces 50a to 50e. The eccentricity of the pin axis from the axis of the roller may be for example of the order of from 2 to 3 mm allowing five different successive adjustments of about 1 mm each to be obtained. It is obvious, however, that other roller sections, either polygonal or not, can be employed. What is essential is that the roller be able to rotate while being subjected to a braking action during its rotation and that by being rotated through a certain angle it can present at least two different thicknesses measured from the said pin.This can be obtained by eccentric arrangement of a polygonal, circular or ovoid roller. This can also be obtained without eccentric arrangement of an ovoid roller.

Generally, the eccentric arrangement of a polygonal section roller is preferred.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A device for controlling a hinged door in a doorway comprising two co-operating members for attachment to the doorway and door respectively, one of the parts being in the form of a cam and the other of the parts being in the form of a roller having a resilient mounting for attachment to the respective one of the door and doorway, the roller being capable of rolling on the cam while being squeezed against it at least towards the end of the opening motion of the door, the pressure of application of the roller on the cam diminishing in proximity to the point of full opening of the door, the resilient

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (12)

1. **WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **.

   232 through which the pivot pin 212 passes.

   The two cheeks 213a, 213b are interconnected by a metal leaf or plate 21 3c constituting the greater part of the support 213 and provided at one of its ends with an orifice 51 for a fastening screw 36 securing the plate 213c in the wall 216 of the door pillar.

   At 239 is seen a rubber block, e.g. a foam rubber block, acting upon the resilient plate 213c and assisting the return motion of the resilient plate during the door braking movement as will appear later. The block 239 is mounted on the plate in any suitable manner, for example by being provided with projections 240 which engage orifices 241 of the plate 213c.

   At 219 is seen the outer surface of the door (Figure 1).

   As appears in Figure 2, in order to prevent free rotation of the pentagonal roller 50 about its pivot pin 212, there is provided a braking means such as for example a Belleville spring washer 52, at at least one end of the roller 50 between the inner face of a cheek such as 213b and the adjacent side face 50a of the roller. Thereafter the pivot pin 212 is suitably positioned, e.g.

   riveted.

   The operation of the device illustrated will now be described referring more particularly to Figures 3 to 6.

   In the position illustrated in Figure 3, which corresponds to the fully open position of the door also illustrated in Figure 1, it is seen that the pentagonal roller 50 bears with its plane face a against a substantially plane portion of the cam 210 formed by the side post of the door frame. In that position the rubber block 239 is only slightly squeezed.

   This allows the door to be retained in its fully open position. This slightly squeezed condition is easily obtained at the factory upon first adjustment by so rotating the pentagonal roller 50 as to allow one of its faces a, b, c, d or e to meet this requirement.

   Owing to the eccentricity of the arrangement, this presents no problem, a pentagonal roller thus automatically providing a choice between five different adjustments.

   When the door begins its progressive closing motion from the position illustrated in Figure 3 to the one represented in Figure 4 by rotating about its axis of rotation shown at 217, the roller 50 bearing upon the cam 210 rolls and rotates by rubbing against it.

   This rotary motion is braked by the braking action exerted by the Belleville washer 52 (Figure 2). Furthermore in view of the geometry of the arrangement, this closing motion is possible only by squeezing and deforming the block 239 which thus offers the desired resistance at the beginning of the closing motion of the door.

   As the closing of the door continues, the door passes a position at which there is maximum squeezing of the rubber block 239, leading, in the position illustrated in Figure 5, to the unsqueezing of the rubber block 239, the face a of the roller 50 rolling on a projection 210a of the cam 210. Thereafter the roller 50 is released until the door is fully closed, which position is illustrated in Figure 6.

   When the door is opened the same process takes place but in the opposite sequence, the roller 50 always presenting the same face a against the cam 210 barring a modification of the adjustment which can be quickly and readily made by a garage mechanic.

   As regards the material constituting the roller 50, it may advantageously consist of a relatively rigid and low-wear plastics material such as an acetal resin, " delrin " (Registered Trade Mark) or nylon. A sufficiently rigid rubber may also be found to be suitable.

   In the example illustrated, a polygonal, more precisely pentagonal, section has been selected for the roller. In practice such a section is altogether satisfactory for it is relatively simple and already offers five possibilities of easy adjustment to be selected by selecting a suitable one of the faces 50a to 50e. The eccentricity of the pin axis from the axis of the roller may be for example of the order of from 2 to 3 mm allowing five different successive adjustments of about 1 mm each to be obtained. It is obvious, however, that other roller sections, either polygonal or not, can be employed. What is essential is that the roller be able to rotate while being subjected to a braking action during its rotation and that by being rotated through a certain angle it can present at least two different thicknesses measured from the said pin.This can be obtained by eccentric arrangement of a polygonal, circular or ovoid roller. This can also be obtained without eccentric arrangement of an ovoid roller.

   Generally, the eccentric arrangement of a polygonal section roller is preferred.

   WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A device for controlling a hinged door in a doorway comprising two co-operating members for attachment to the doorway and door respectively, one of the parts being in the form of a cam and the other of the parts being in the form of a roller having a resilient mounting for attachment to the respective one of the door and doorway, the roller being capable of rolling on the cam while being squeezed against it at least towards the end of the opening motion of the door, the pressure of application of the roller on the cam diminishing in proximity to the point of full opening of the door, the resilient

   mounting being subjected to at least part of the pressure of application of the roller on the cam thereby allowing the door to be held in open position, and the roller having at least two different thicknesses measured from the axis of rotation of the roller, to provide an adjustment of the surface of the roller to engage the cam.
2. 2. A device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means for braking rotation of the roller about the axis thereof relative to the resilient mounting.
3. 3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said braking means comprises a spring, such as a Belleville washer, mounted between an end face of the roller and a yoke or clevis member, which member forms a part of the resilient mounting.
4. 4. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the roller is mounted eccentrically.
5. 5. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the said roller is polygonal, e.g. pentagonal, in section.
6. 6. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the resilient mounting comprises a spring leaf or plate having one end for attachment to the respective one of the door and doorway, and carrying towards its other end the said roller.
7. 7. A device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the resilient mounting comprises a resilient abutment, e.g. of rubber, secured to the spring leaf or plate on a face thereof to be compressed or squeezed against an adjacent portion of the respective one of the door and doorway during the squeezing or compression of the resilient mounting.
8. 8. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising means for releasably mounting said other part having the roller to the respective one of the door and doorway.
9. 9. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the roller is constituted by a plastics material of the acetal resin type displaying a good slip factor and low wear characteristics.
10. 10. A vehicle having a door hinged in a doorway and a device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims for controlling the door, the cam of said one part being integral with a frame of the doorway and said other part having the roller being attached to a side pillar of the door.
11. 11. A device substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
12. 12. A vehicle having a door hinged in a doorway and a device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims for controlling the door, the cam of said one part being integral with a frame of the doorway and said other part having the roller being attached to a side pillar of the door.