Motor vehicle having door check mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10954703-B2
Application number	US-201916564113-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 9, 2019
Priority date	Sep 12, 2018
Publication date	Mar 23, 2021
Grant date	Mar 23, 2021

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a motor vehicle having a door check mechanism. An example motor vehicle includes a door pivotable between fully open and fully closed positions, and a door check mechanism including a bar having a helical groove and at least one check hold recess along the helical groove.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A motor vehicle, comprising:
a door pivotable between fully open and fully closed positions;
a door check mechanism including a bar having a helical groove and at least one check hold recess along the helical groove,
wherein the door check mechanism includes at least one detent configured to contact the helical groove,
wherein the at least one detent is biased toward the helical groove by a spring,
wherein the at least one detent is configured to be received in the at least one check hold recess,
wherein, when the at least one detent is received in the at least one check hold recess, additional force is required to pivot the door than when the detent is not received in the at least one check hold recess,
wherein the bar includes first and second helical grooves circumferentially spaced-apart from one another by about 180 degrees,
wherein the door check mechanism is configured to hold the door in the fully open position, a half open position, and an intermediate position between the half open position and the fully closed position,
wherein the first and second helical grooves each include a check hold recess configured to receive detents when the door is in the fully open position and the half open position, and
wherein only the first helical groove includes a check hold recess configured to receive a detent when the door is in the intermediate position.

2. The motor vehicle as recited in claim 1 , wherein the door check mechanism includes a rotary holding member supporting the spring and the at least one detent.

3. The motor vehicle as recited in claim 2 , wherein:
the door check mechanism includes a support housing with a bore within which the rotary holding member is received, and
the rotary holding member is configured to rotate within the bore.

4. The motor vehicle as recited in claim 1 , wherein the helical groove extends around the bar at a constant angle.

5. The motor vehicle as recited in claim 1 , wherein the helical groove extends around the bar at an angle which varies along the length of the bar.

6. The motor vehicle as recited in claim 5 , wherein the helical groove extends around the bar at a helix angle which increases along the length of the bar such that the door check mechanism increasingly resists movement of the door to the fully open position.

7. A motor vehicle, comprising:
a door pivotable between fully open and fully closed positions;
a door check mechanism including a bar having a helical groove and at least one check hold recess along the helical groove,
wherein the door check mechanism includes at least one detent configured to contact the helical groove,
wherein the at least one detent is biased toward the helical groove by a spring,
wherein the at least one detent is configured to be received in the at least one check hold recess,
wherein, when the at least one detent is received in the at least one check hold recess, additional force is required to pivot the door than when the at least one detent is not received in the at least one check hold recess,
wherein the bar includes first, second, and third helical grooves circumferentially spaced-apart from one another by about 120 degrees,
wherein the door check mechanism is configured to hold the door in the fully open position, a half open position, and an intermediate position between the half open position and the fully closed position,
wherein the first, second, and third helical grooves each include a check hold recess configured to receive detents when the door is in the fully open position,
wherein only the first and second helical grooves include a check hold recess configured to receive detents when the door is in the half open position, and
wherein only the first helical groove includes a check hold recess configured to receive a detent when the door is in the intermediate position.

8. A door check mechanism, comprising:
a bar including a helical groove and at least one check hold recess along the helical groove, and wherein the helical groove extends around the bar at a helix angle which increases along the length of the bar such that the door check mechanism increasingly resists movement of a door to a fully open position.

9. The door check mechanism as recited in claim 8 , including at least one detent configured to be biased into contact with the helical groove by a spring.

10. The door check mechanism as recited in claim 9 , wherein:
the door check mechanism includes a rotary holding member supporting the spring and the at least one detent,
the door check mechanism includes a support housing with a bore within which the rotary holding member is received, and
the rotary holding member is configured to rotate within the bore.

11. The door check mechanism as recited in claim 10 , wherein:
the at least one detent is configured to be received in the at least one check hold recess, and
when the at least one detent is received in the at least one check hold recess, additional force is required to pivot a door than when the at least one detent is not received in the at least one check hold recess.

12. The door check mechanism as recited in claim 8 , wherein the helical groove is helical along its entire length.

13. The door check mechanism as recited in claim 8 , wherein the helix angle gradually and continuously increases along the length of the bar.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Westgarth Brian
• Patterson Ian
• Swann Rob
• Whitehurst Jack

Classifications

• E05C17/203 Primary

  concealed, e.g. for vehicles · CPC title

• E05Y2900/531

  Doors · CPC title

• E05C17/18 Primary

  pivoted only at one end having a row of holes, notches, or pins · CPC title

• E05C17/12 Primary

  consisting of a single rod · CPC title

• B60J5/047

  characterised by the opening or closing movement · CPC title