The present invention concerns a hinged door check for vehicle doors consisting of two hinged parts which are pivotally connected around an axis of rotation by a hinge pin and which have a holding device integrated between them defining different relative rotational positions, whereby the holding device consists first of at least one catch element kinematically connected with the first hinged part and spring-loaded in a working direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation, and secondly of a track kinematically connected with the second hinged part, essentially shaped like the sector of a circle and arranged coaxial to the axis of rotation with respect to its radius of curvature, having at least one latching point cooperating with the catch element to hold the door in defined rotational position.
A hinged door check of this type ("door hinge with integrated door check") has become well known from DE 31 37 134 A1. It is characteristic of this type first of all, that the swivelling or pivot axis of the door check's catch element corresponds to the hinge's axis of rotation and, secondly, that a track merely extending over a graduated circle (sector) is provided. This produces a compact structural shape. The well known hinged door check is described in different embodiments, and first of all with the direction of the catch element working radially from outside to inside (FIGS. 1 through 3) in one respect, and from inside to outside (FIGS. 6 and 7) in another respect. An embodiment with axial catch direction is also disclosed (FIG. 4). Uncoupling of the hinged parts and the vehicle's door is difficult for the well known hinged door check because the entire holding device falls apart after separating the hinged parts by removing the hinge pin. Reassembly is at least difficult. Because of the relatively large spring resistance, since special tools are required.
The objective of the present invention is to create a hinged door check of the same generic type, for which simple and rapid unhinging and hinging of the vehicle's door is possible without special skills and/or tools.
This is accomplished in accordance with the invention by connecting the hinge pin detachable from the first hinged part with fasteners, so that the hinged parts are separable (unhingeable) when unloosening the fasteners while keeping the connection between the hinge pin and the second hinged part and with the holding device assigned to the latter. The entire holding device can thus remain advantageously mounted on the side of the second hinged part, because even the hinge pin remains a component of the second hinged part and of the holding device's functional parts in practice. In connection with the invention, it is of essential advantage, if the fasteners are designed in such a way that the hinge pin can be fastened torque-matched to the first hinged part in only one particular relative position within the maximum relative range. For the door's initial assembly and also for each reassembly following an unhinging, this ensures that, throughout the swivelling range (approximately 70.degree. through 80.degree.), there is automatically always a well defined relation between the door's angular positions and the catch positions defined by the holding device. This means above all, that both the door's open position and preferably a so-called garage position (intermediate position) always remain precisely defined, because the holding device's lock-in positions are unambiguously assigned to the door's movements and angular positions by the fasteners in accordance with the invention and remain this way even after any hinging and unhinging.
In another favorable arrangement of the invention, the hinge pin is seated in a properly fitted receptacle of the first hinged part with one end secured against twisting, whereby a bolt preferably engages an end-sided axial threaded hole of the hinge pin through a hole in the first hinged part. In comparison with an alternative embodiment, (in principle even possible within the scope of the invention), in which the hinge pin has an end-sided threaded shank penetrating through and projecting over a hole and secured with a nut, the preferred embodiment of the hinged door check in accordance with the invention achieves a substantially smaller axial lift for unhinging and hinging the hinged parts. This is of special advantage in practice, because the vehicle's entire door, fastened with the corresponding hinged part, has to be moved as a rule so that a smaller lift substantially diminishes the danger of collisions between the door and other parts of the vehicle.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds