Closure panel extension mechanism with multiple springs

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10871019-B2
Application number	US-201916247221-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 14, 2019
Priority date	Jan 15, 2018
Publication date	Dec 22, 2020
Grant date	Dec 22, 2020

Abstract

An extension mechanism for coupling with a closure panel to assist in opening and closing of the closure panel of a vehicle between a fully closed position and a fully open position of the closure panel, the extension mechanism including: an inner tube having an outer surface; an outer tube having an inner surface and overlapping the inner tube for at least a portion of the outer surface along an extension axis, such that the inner surface and the outer surface are adjacent to one another when overlapped; a first spring positioned along the extension axis in an interior of the outer tube; a second spring positioned along the extension axis in an interior of the inner tube; a seal positioned between the inner surface and the outer surface; and a stopper to engage the first spring at one end and engage the second spring at an opposite end such that the first spring and the second spring are in series with one another along the extension axis; wherein the one end and the opposite end are spaced apart from one another such that the seal is positioned between the one and opposite end.

First claim

We claim:

1. An extension mechanism for coupling with a closure panel to assist in opening and closing of the closure panel of a vehicle between a fully closed position and a fully open position of the closure panel, the extension mechanism including:
an inner tube having an outer surface;
an outer tube having an inner surface and overlapping the inner tube for at least a portion of the outer surface along an extension axis, such that the inner surface and the outer surface are adjacent to one another when overlapped;
a first spring positioned along the extension axis in an interior of the outer tube;
a second spring positioned along the extension axis in an interior of the inner tube;
a seal positioned between the inner surface and the outer surface; and
a stopper to engage the first spring at one end and engage the second spring at an opposite end such that the first spring and the second spring are in series with one another along the extension axis;
wherein the one end and the opposite end are spaced apart from one another such that the seal is positioned between the one end and the opposite end.

2. The extension mechanism of claim 1 , further comprising the stopper slideable within the outer tube along the extension axis.

3. The extension mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the first spring expands before the second spring begins to expand.

4. The extension mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the extension mechanism is a component of a counterbalance mechanism for the vehicle.

5. The extension mechanism of claim 2 further comprising the stopper having a sleeve with a first abutting surface at the one end to engage with the second spring and a second abutting surface at the opposite end to engage with the first spring.

6. The extension mechanism of claim 5 , wherein the second abutting surface at the opposite end is provided as an upstanding lip from the sleeve.

7. The extension mechanism of claim 5 , wherein the first abutting surface at the one end is provided as an upstanding lip from the sleeve.

8. The extension mechanism of claim 1 , wherein a diameter of the stopper at the one end is greater than a diameter of the stopper at the other end.

9. The extension mechanism of claim 5 further comprising a depression in the sleeve for allowing the stopper to slide relative to the seal.

10. The extension mechanism of claim 5 , wherein a length of the sleeve along the extension axis defines a distance between the first abutting surface and the second abutting surface.

11. The extension mechanism of claim 1 further comprising a third spring positioned in a support tube in the interior of the inner tube.

12. The extension mechanism of claim 5 , wherein the sleeve is a hollow tube.

13. The extension mechanism of claim 5 , wherein the first abutting surface and the second abutting surface are ring like structures connected to the sleeve.

14. An extension mechanism for coupling with a closure panel to assist in opening and closing of the closure panel of a vehicle between a fully closed position and a fully open position of the closure panel, the extension mechanism including:
an inner tube having an outer surface;
an outer tube having an inner surface and overlapping the inner tube for at least a portion of the outer surface along an extension axis, such that the inner surface and the outer surface are adjacent to one another when overlapped;
a first spring positioned along the extension axis in an interior of the outer tube;
a second spring positioned along the extension axis in an interior of the inner tube; and
a stopper to engage the first spring at one end and engage the second spring at an opposite end such that the first spring and the second spring are in series with one another along the extension axis;
wherein the stopper is configured to move during one of an expansion or a compression of at least one of the first spring and the second spring.

15. A method for operating an extension mechanism coupled with a closure panel to assist in opening and closing of the closure panel of a vehicle between a fully closed position and a fully open position of the closure panel, the method comprising the steps of:
moving an inner tube relative to an outer tube during said opening and closing, the inner tube having an outer surface, the outer tube having an inner surface and overlapping the inner tube for at least a portion of the outer surface along an extension axis, such that the inner surface and the outer surface are adjacent to one another when overlapped, a seal being positioned between the inner surface and the outer surface;
expanding or contracting a first spring, the first spring positioned along the extension axis in an interior of the outer tube;
expanding or contracting a second spring, the second spring positioned along the extension axis in an interior of the inner tube; and
engaging by a first end of the stopper the first spring at one end and the second spring at an opposite second end of the stopper such that the first spring and the second spring are in series with one another along the extension axis;
wherein the first end and the second end are spaced apart from one another such that the seal is positioned between the first and second end.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the stopper slideable within the outer tube along the extension axis.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first spring expands before the second spring begins to expand.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising the stopper having a sleeve with a first abutting surface at the one end to engage with the second spring and a second abutting surface at the opposite end to engage with the first spring.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein a diameter of the stopper at the one end is greater than a diameter of the stopper at the other end.

20. The method of claim 18 further comprising a depression in the sleeve for retaining the seal.

Assignees

• Magna Closures Inc

Inventors

• Scheuring Joseph
• Nowicki Wieslaw

Classifications

• E05F1/1058 Primary

  for counterbalancing · CPC title

• E05Y2201/416

  for counterbalancing · CPC title

• E05F1/1238 Primary

  specially adapted for vehicles · CPC title

• E05Y2800/12

  Sealing · CPC title

• E05Y2800/244

  arranged in serial relationship · CPC title