Counterbalance mechanism with optional watershield, kicker spring, friction bearing, and fail safe spring retention mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12110722-B2
Application number	US-202117554969-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 17, 2021
Priority date	Jun 28, 2019
Publication date	Oct 8, 2024
Grant date	Oct 8, 2024

Abstract

A counterbalance mechanism for coupling with a closure panel to assist in opening and closing of the closure panel between a fully closed position and a fully open position of the closure panel, the counterbalance mechanism including: a housing coupled at one end to one of the closure panel and a body of a vehicle by a first connector and at another end by a second connector to the other of the body and the closure panel, the housing containing an extension member and a spring positioned along a longitudinal axis, the spring positioned adjacent to the first connector; the first connector having a body with a connection portion coupled by a connection to an end of the housing positioned at the one end; and a spring retention mechanism for inhibiting extension of the spring out of the one end of the housing, the spring retention mechanism including: a spring retainer positioned between the spring and the end; and a retainer pin positioned between the spring retainer and the end; wherein upon decoupling of the connection portion with the end, the retainer pin inhibits movement of the spring and the spring retainer towards the one end along the longitudinal axis.

First claim

We claim:

1. A counterbalance mechanism for coupling with a closure panel to assist in opening and closing of the closure panel between a closed position and an open position of the closure panel, the counterbalance mechanism including:
a housing coupled at a first end to one of the closure panel and a body of a vehicle by a first connector and at a second end by a second connector to the other of the body and the closure panel, the housing containing an extension member and a spring positioned along a longitudinal axis, the spring positioned adjacent to the first connector;
the first connector having a first connector body with a connection portion coupled by a connection to the first end of the housing; and
a spring retention mechanism positioned between the spring and the first end for inhibiting extension of the spring out of the first end of the housing upon decoupling of the connection portion with the first end.

2. The counterbalance mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the connection is a crimp connection between the housing and the connection portion.

3. The counterbalance mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the connection is a shear connection comprising a hole in the connection portion aligned with a hole in the extension member, such that a shear pin is positioned in the holes.

4. The counterbalance mechanism of claim 3 , wherein the spring retention mechanism is configured to fail by disconnection of a retaining pin from the extension member after disconnection of the shear pin from the extension member.

5. The counterbalance mechanism of claim 1 further comprising a body of a spring retainer having a main body, an aperture and an extension portion, such that the main body is oriented transverse to the longitudinal axis, the main body is connected to the extension portion which extends along the longitudinal axis between the main body and the first end, and the aperture allows the extension member to pass there through; wherein the spring acts against the main body and biases the extension portion into contact with the first end.

6. The counterbalance mechanism of claim 5 , wherein biasing the extension portion into contact with the first end compresses a seal positioned between the main body and the first end.

7. The counterbalance mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the first connector body is a ball joint.

8. The counterbalance mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the first connector body is a ball socket.

9. The counterbalance mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the spring retention mechanism has a predisposed failure point greater than a predisposed failure point of the connection portion.

10. The counterbalance mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the is housing comprises a sliding tube, and wherein the connection is a crimp connection with the sliding tube.

11. The counterbalance mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a sliding tube, and wherein the connection is a shear connection comprising a hole in the connection portion aligned with a hole in the extension member, such that a shear pin is positioned in the holes.

12. The counterbalance mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the spring retention mechanism has a spring retainer which acts as a bypass around a retainer pin in order to couple a bias of the spring to act against the first end.

Assignees

• Magna Closures Inc

Inventors

• Scheuring Joseph
• Nowicki Wieslaw

Classifications

• E05Y2900/546

  Tailboards, tailgates or sideboards opening upwards · CPC title

• E05Y2201/474

  Compression springs · CPC title

• E05Y2201/264

  linear · CPC title

• E05Y2201/218

  Holders · CPC title

• E05C17/30

  of extensible, e.g. telescopic, construction (flexible members E05C17/36 {; locking of telescopic systems in general F16B7/10; lockable telescopic gas springs F16F9/0254}) · CPC title