GB2045339A

GB2045339A - A Stay Device

Info

Publication number: GB2045339A
Application number: GB8004858A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: USM Corp
Current assignee: USM Corp
Priority date: 1979-02-14
Filing date: 1980-02-13
Publication date: 1980-10-29
Also published as: JPS55114765A; CA1132769A; IT1140570B; IT8019870A0; ES8104483A1; JPS6233390B2; AU5548580A; ES489239A0; FR2449182A1; DE3005214A1

Abstract

A stay device, for example for the door of a glove box of an automobile to hold the door open in a horizontal position, is a one piece plastics moulding comprising a flexible strap portion 12 interconnecting two hollow bosses 14, 16 which, after insertion in holes in the door and surrounding facia, can be expanded by insertion of drive pins 30, 32 to secure the device in position. The pins 30, 32 are moulded integrally with the body of the stay device, to which they are connected by frangible tabs 33. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Stay Device The present invention relates to stay devices of a type which may be employed to limit travel between two movable parts.

In the manufacture of articles with hinged closures, for example doors or covers, it is sometimes desirable to provide a stay device for limiting the opening movement of the closure.

Sometimes such device is required to hold the closure in its open condition, for example under the influence of gravity where the closure, as is the case with the tailgate of a station wagon or the door of a glove box, is hinged to open by swinging downwards about a horizontal axis into a horizontal position.

Various stay devices have been employed in the past to meet the requirements set forth above, and have met with acceptance. However, prior methods have generally required the use of screws, rivets and other fastening means to fasten the stay device to the closure and supporting the structure. Generally, the assembly techniques required to install these devices have required a plurality of parts which are expensive to maintain in inventory and laborious to assemble.

In the case of an automobile glove box door which is subjected to a number of cycles of opening during the life of the automobile, repairs or service to the structure, requiring removal of the stay, are time consuming and usually result in damage to the related components. in addition, in the instance where a single stay is employed to check the glove box door relative to the facia, the minimum of separate parts which are necessary to retain an inventory for replacement or service would be 3 viz. a single cable and two threaded fasteners, the threaded fasteners often needing to be replaced with larger fasteners due to the damage to the structure in removing the fasteners therefrom. Thus, a plurality of fasteners and cables is necessary to provide this type of stay arrangement, even though attempts are made to keep the particular parts to a minimum.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved stay device which is inexpensive, simple to manufacture, and easy to install and remove without damage to related parts.

There is hereinafter described in detail to illustrate the invention by way of example a onepiece stay device having a body comprising an elongate strap portion interconnecting two hollow cylindrical bosses with their axes at right angles to the strap portion. Each boss is joined at one end to the strap portion and has a bore which is cylindrical part way along from that end and then tapers towards the other end; the bosses project from the strap portion in opposite directions. An elongated member extends from said strap portion of the illustrative device adjacent and substantially parallel to each boss.The illustrative device also comprises two drive pins connected to the body by frangible means so that after breaking of the frangible means the pins can be driven into the bores of the bosses, the bosses having been inserted in holes in each of two movable parts in which they are thus secured by expansion of the ends of the bosses remote from the strap portion. The elongated members, received in holes in said movable parts adjacent to those which receive the bosses, assist control of the flexing of the strap portion of the device when the movable parts are brought together.

Each drive pin of the illustrative device has a circular head with a surface adjacent its shank which is chamfered to enable the pin to be prised out of its boss if the stay device is to be removed; an abutting surface of the boss is likewise chamfered.

The illustrative device, supplied in one piece to the user, avoids an inventory of separate elements, is inexpensive, simple to manufacture and easy to install and remove without damaging the parts to which it is secured.

The invention provides, in one of its several aspects, a one-piece plastics stay device having a body comprising an elongate flexible strap portion interconnecting two hollow bosses with their axes at right angles to the strap portion, each boss being joined at one end to the strap portion and having a bore which tapers towards the other end, the device also comprising two plugs connected to the body by frangible means and being of a cross-section such as to cause outward expansion of the bosses at said other end when driven thereinto.

The invention also provides, in another of its several aspects, a stay device comprising a pair of cylindrical bosses, a flexible strap portion connecting said bosses one to the other, each of said bosses having a bore formed therethrough, each bore having an inwardly tapered portion extending toward one end thereof to provide a minimum bore near said one end, a plurality of slots extending through the wall of each boss at said one end, whereby the walls of the bosses may be caused to expand by pins inserted into the bores to retain the bosses in openings formed in each of two movable parts.

There now follows a detailed description, to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, of the illustrative stay device aforementioned. It will be realised that this illustrative device has been selected for description of the invention by way of example and not of limitation.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the illustrative stay device; Figure 2 is an elevational view, partially in section, showing a portion of the illustrative device of Figure 1 taken on an enlarged scale for clarity; Figure 3 is an elevational view, partially in section, showing the structure of Figure 2 in the assembled condition; and Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the illustrative device employed in a typical environment.

Referring to the drawings and in particular to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown the illustrative one-piece moulded plastics stay device 10 comprising a flexible, resilient, strap portion 12 having a pair of oppositely facing bosses 14 and 16 disposed at opposite ends of the strap portion with their axes at right angles thereto. Each of said bosses 14 and 1 6 has an outwardly projecting circular flange 1 8 and 20 respectively disposed at one end of a respective boss, to which the strap portion 12 is connected.

Each of the bosses 14 and 1 6 is further provided with a circularbore 22 and 24 respectively, extending through the respective boss. The outer diameter of the boss 14 and 16 and the diameter of the bores 22 and 24 are of a magnitude to produce a relatively thin wall in each of the bosses. At the end of each of the bosses 14 and 1 6 opposite the respective flange 18 or 20 the bore 22 or 24 is tapered inwardly from about halfway through the bore length to the open end thereof. A plurality of slots 25 extend from the tapered end of the bore 22, 24 to approximately the point along the bore length at which the taper begins.

Adjacent each of the bosses 14 and 1 6 and extending from the point at which the respective flange 1 8 or 20 is connected to the strap portion 12, there is disposed an elongaged member in the form of a cylindrical pin 26 or 28 of substantially smaller diameter than the bosses.

At the opposite side of the flanges 1 8 and 20 there is moulded a drive pin 30 and 32 respectively, each of which is connected to the flange by a frangible tab 33. Each of the drive pins 30 and 32 comprises a circular head 34 and 36 respectively, and a cylindrical shank 38 and 40 respectively.

As will be noted particularly in Figure 2, the drive pin 30 is provided with a chamfer 41 on the underside thereof and the flange 1 8 is provided with a similar chamfer 42 at the edge thereof for purposes which will be explained in detail as the description proceeds. As with each of the features described above, the boss 18 and the boss 1 6 are substantially identical as to construction as is the drive pin 30 and the drive pin 32 and therefore it may be concluded that the drive pin 32 and the flange 20 of the boss 1 6 also are provided with similar chamfers.

The illustrative stay device 10 is injection moulded from a nylon material; however, any material of suitable resilience and flexibility which is capable of being injection moulded may be employed for a stay device in accordance with the invention. As typical dimensions for the construction shown in the preferred embodiment, the bosses 14 and 1 6 have an outer diameter of 0.310 inches (7.87 mm) and a major internal diameter of 0.268 inches (6.80 mm) which tapers at a 1 5O angle from a point 0.160 inches (4.06 mm) from the end of the boss, to the minimum diameter. Each of the drive pins 30 and 32 has a 0.268 inch (6.80 mm) diameter shank.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 4, the stay device 10 will be described as employed in retaining a hinged glove box door 50 in fixed relation with a facia 52. It should here be noted that the mounting of the device 10 to the door 50 and facia 52 will be described only with reference to that end of the device attached to the door; however it should be evident that the mounting of the opposite end of the stay device to the facia 52 would be achieved in like manner.

Referring particularly of Figure 3, in preparing the glove box door 50 for installation of the stay device 10, two holes 54 and 55 are drilled into the wall structure of the door on centrelines corresponding to the boss 1 5 and the cylindrical pin 26, but each of slightly larger diameter than the outer diameter of the boss and pin to be received therein.

The drive pin 30 may now be separated from the strap assembly 10 for insertion into the bore 22 of the boss 14. By employing known techniques of injection moulding, it is possible to fabricate the frangible tab 33 to a dimension such that the drive pin 30 is separated from the flange 1 8 by merely twisting the two, and pulling them apart, simultaneously.

The boss 14 and the pin 26 are now inserted into the holes 54, 55 and the pin 30 forced into the boss to produce the structure in its assembled form as shown in Figure 3. It will be noted that in forcing the shank 38 into the bore 22 the outer wall of the boss 14 expands to inhibit removal of the boss from the door 50. This is accomplished by virtue of the tapered end of the bore 22 in conjunction with the plurality of slots 25, allowing the end of the boss to expand beyond the limits of the hole 54.

By arranging that the centreiines of the holes 54, 55 in the door 50 and facia 52 are aligned when the door is in the open position, the strap portion 12 is prevented from being moved to a position between the door and the facia when the door is closed. The pin 26 or 28 prevents rotation of the boss 14 or 16 and the result is that the strap portion moves downwardly into the door opening when the door is closed.

It will further be observed in Figure 3 that with the drive pin 30 fully inserted into the boss 14, the chamfers 41 and 42 form a groove around the circumference of the head 34 of the drive pin.

This facilitates the removal of the drive pin 30 by inserting a screwdriver or other sharp instrument between the head 34 and the flange 18, without harmful effect to either of the components of the assembly. The stay device 10 may, therefore, be employed in structures where removal of the component from time to time is necessary, and may be re-used a number of times without destroying the integrity of the structure or without re-working either the stay device 10 or the components which are linked thereby.

Claims

1. A one-piece plastics stay device having a body comprising an elongate flexible strap portion interconnecting two hollow bosses with their axes at right angles to the strap portion, each boss being joined at one end to the strap portion and having a bore which tapers towards the other end, the device also comprising two plugs connected to the body by frangible means and being of a cross-section such as to cause outward expansion of the bosses at said other end when driven thereinto.

2. A stay device as set forth in Claim 1 which further includes a pair of elongated members extending from said strap portion, one adjacent each of said respective bosses and disposed substantially parallel thereto.

3. A stay device as set forth in Claim 1 wherein each boss has a cylindrical bore tapered inwardly towards said other end of said boss to provide a minimum diameter, a plurality of slots extending through said wall of said boss, at the minimum diameter.

4. A stay device as set forth in any one of the preceding claims wherein the bosses project from the strap portion in opposite directions.

5. A stay device as set forth in Claim 1 wherein each of said bosses comprises a circular flange extending outwardly from one end of said boss and connected to the strap portion.

6. A stay device as set forth in Claim 5 wherein each of said drive pins comprises a circular head disposed at one end of a cylindrical shank and, in the case of each drive pin, said frangible means interconnects the circular head of the pin to the circular flange of the boss.

7. A stay device comprising a pair of cylindrical bosses, a flexible strap portion connecting said bosses one to the other, each of said bosses having a bore formed therethrough, each bore having an inwardly tapered portion extending toward one end thereof to provide a minimum diameter near said one end, a plurality of slots extending through the wall of each boss at said one end, whereby the walls of the bosses may be caused to expand by pins inserted into the bores to retain the bosses in openings formed in each of two movable parts.

8. A-stay device as set forth in Claim 7 wherein each of said cylindrical bosses comprises a circular flange extending outwardly from the end of said boss opposite said tapered end, each of said bosses being connected to said strap portion at a respective one of said flanges.

9. A stay device as set forth in Claim 8 wherein each of said drive pins comprises a circular head at one end of said shank, said head having a surface adjacent said shank for contacting a surface of said flange of said boss with said pin inserted in said boss bore, and said flange surface and said head surface each having a chamfer formed at the edge thereof in opposed relation to form a groove between said contacting surfaces to facilitate separation of said drive pin from said boss by a prying action.

10. A stay device as set forth in Claim 8 which further includes a pair of elongated members, one extending from said strap portion adjacent each of said bosses and substantially parallel thereto.

11. A one-piece plastics stay device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.