WO2014193374A1

WO2014193374A1 - Door striker alignment device

Info

Publication number: WO2014193374A1
Application number: PCT/US2013/043223
Authority: WO
Inventors: Peter Edward MURRAY; Robert N. WISE; Richard K. WHITAKER
Original assignee: Volvo Truck Corp
Current assignee: Volvo Truck Corp
Priority date: 2013-05-30
Filing date: 2013-05-30
Publication date: 2014-12-04
Anticipated expiration: 2015-11-30

Abstract

A device for aligning a truck door striker with a truck door latch device includes a body having a first portion for engaging a door striker and a second portion for engaging a door latch, the first portion having an end surface and an opening to receive a door striker, the end surface and the opening defining a desired space between a received door striker and a door frame flange, and the second portion including a door strike simulator to engage a door latch.

Description

Door Striker Alignment Device

Field of the Invention

The invention is directed to a device for aligning a vehicle door striker with a latch during door/cab assembly or repair process. More particularly, the invention is directed to a device for aligning a door striker and door latch on a heavy truck.

Background and Summary of the Invention

Vehicle door latching mechanisms typically include a striker mounted on a door frame and a latch arrangement on the door that engages the striker to secure the door in a closed position. Manufacturing tolerances in making the door and the vehicle body result in small, but significant, variance from vehicle to vehicle in the optimal position of the striker relative to the door latch. For correct engagement of the latch with the striker, it is important that the striker be mounted to the door frame in correct alignment, both the ensure that the latch can engage the striker and that, when secured, the door is held in a correct position, neither too loosely (which allows the door to rattle) or too tightly (which makes latching and unlatching difficult).

Devices for aligning door strikers for automotive vehicles are known, including from US Patent No. 6,324,948 to Kavc et al.; US Patent No, 6,138,337 to Lezuch et al.; US Patent No.

6,092,271 to Stojkovic et al.; US Patent No. 6,029,335 to Hui et al.; and 6,006,635 to Stojkovic et al. The devices disclosed by these patents align the door striker using the outside surfaces of the door and body as references, which is not satisfactory for use in a heavy truck.

According to the invention, a door striker alignment device for heavy trucks includes a body having a first end portion and a second end portion, the first end portion having an end surface to contact a door frame flange and an aperture or opening to receive and locate a door striker relative to the end surface, and the second end portion including a door strike simulator engageable by a door latch.

According to an aspect of the invention, the aperture in the first end portion is defined by a first wall to define an inboard striker location on the door frame, a second wall to define an upper striker location on the door frame, a third wall to define a lower striker location on the door frame, and a fourth wall to define an outboard striker location on the door frame.

According to the invention, the first end portion includes foot extending from the body, the foot including the end surface. Alternatively, the aperture may include more than one opening to receive different parts of a door striker, for example, the aperture may include upper and lower apertures to receive upper and lower wings of a striker.

In a further aspect of the invention, the body includes at least one tab at the second end portion to contact a door to orient the body when the door strike simulator is engaged with a door latch. The at least one tab may be formed on a ridge formed on the body and extends toward the second end portion. The body may include a second tab formed on the body and extending in the direction of the ridge.

A method for aligning a vehicle door striker with a vehicle door latch device, according to the invention includes the steps of providing a tool having a body having a first portion for engaging a door striker and a second portion for engaging a door latch, the first portion having an opening to receive a door striker and a foot to contact a door frame flange, and the second portion including a door strike simulator to engage a door latch, loosely attaching a door striker to a door frame, placing the first portion so that the striker is received in the opening and the foot is in contact with the door frame flange, moving the door to a position in which the door latch engaged the door striker simulator and, securing the door striker to the door frame.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will be better understood by reference to the following Detailed Description read in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side section view of the truck cab;

Figure 2 is a front perspective view of a striker alignment tool according to one embodiment of the invention;

Figure 3 is a rear perspective view of the tool of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a section view of a cab viewed from the cab interior showing the tool of Figures 2 and 3 in position to align a door striker;

Figure 5 is a section view of a cab viewed from the cab exterior showing the tool of Figures 2 and 3 in position to align a door striker;

Figure 6 is a front view of an alternative embodiment of a tool of the invention;

Figure 7 is a rear view of the tool of Figure 6; and, Figure 8 is a front view of an alternative embodiment of the tool shown in Figures 6 and 7.

Detailed Description of the Invention

Figure 1 shows a side section view of a truck cab body 10 and a door 12 mounted by hinges (not illustrated) in a door frame 14. As used here, a "door frame" includes the structure of the cab body 10 that defines an access opening 13 in the cab that allows, for example, entry into and exit from the cab. The door frame 14 is configured to support the door 12 in open and closed positions as is known in the art. For the purposes of this description, a frame of reference is defined relative to the cab 10 as having a longitudinal direction L (frontward and rearward relative to the cab), a transverse direction T (horizontally inboard and outboard relative to a longitudinal centerline of the cab) and a vertical direction V (upward and downward, perpendicular to the longitudinal and transverse directions). The door frame 14 includes a frame wall 16 extending around a perimeter of the opening aligned with the transverse direction, and a door opening flange 18 extending from the frame wall into the opening 13 aligned with the longitudinal direction.

As is known in the art, a striker 20 is mounted on the door frame 14. A latch 22 is mounted on the door 12. When properly aligned, the latch 22 releasably engages the striker 20 when the door 12 is closed to secure the door in the closed position. Figure 1 illustrates one type of arrangement where the striker (also seen in Figure 2) is a plate having an "L" shaped extension that extends over the plate making a U shaped profile. A bolt connects from a free end of the extension to the plate. The striker 20 is mounted on the door frame wall 16, and the latch 22 is mounted in a recess in the door. The invention is adaptable to this arrangement as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 and, as described below in connection with Figures 6, 7, and 8, to alternative latch-striker arrangements. A handle 24 is operable to disengage the latch 22 from the striker 20 to allow the door 12 to be opened.

Aligning the striker during assembly of the truck cab, that is, positioning the striker on the door frame for correct engagement with the latch, is difficult. As is known in the art, a striker is mounted to a door frame by an arrangement that allows adjusting the position of the striker on the frame. Using a trial and error process, the assembler positions the striker on the frame, aligns it visually, and closes the door. The assembler judges from the manner by which the door latch engages the striker whether the striker is properly positioned, and if not, opens the door, makes and adjustment to the striker position, and again closes the door to test the position. Such a process can take many repetitions, using valuable time, and is subject to error. The invention is directed to a tool to facilitate positioning and alignment of a door striker on a vehicle door frame, in particular a truck. Turning to Figures 2 and 3, an embodiment of a tool 30 according to the invention is shown. The tool 30 is a portable jig that can be temporarily connected to both a vehicle door and a striker loosely mounted to a door frame to establish and hold the correct position for the striker relative to the door latch, allowing the assembler to securely fasten the striker in the correct position. As will be described in more detail below, in use the tool 30 is positioned with a first end portion engaging and positioning a striker, then, holding the tool in place, the vehicle door is swung to a position in which a second end portion of the tool latches to the tool. The tool illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 is symmetrical about a horizontal midplane and may be used on either a left side door and door frame or a right side door and door frame by orienting the tool.

The tool 30 has a generally plate shaped body 32 having a first end portion 34 adapted to engage a door striker and a second end portion 36 adapted to engage a door latch. As seen in Figure 4, the first end portion 34 and second end portion 36 are spaced apart a distance sufficient to allow an assembler working access to a striker 20 when the tool is positioned on the door and door frame for aligning the striker.

Returning to Figures 2 and 3, the first end portion 34 has an end surface 40, which when the tool is used, abuts a door frame flange 18. A foot 38 extends perpendicularly to the body 32. The first end portion 34 also includes an aperture 42 to receive a door striker 20 and orient it for alignment. The aperture 42 in the illustrated embodiment is formed as an opening or hole defined by four walls, a first wall 44 at an inboard side of the aperture, a second wall 46 at an upper end of the aperture, a third wall 48 at a lower end of the aperture, and a fourth wall at an outboard end of the aperture. The first wall 44 of the aperture 42 forms an inner surface of the foot 38.

The aperture 42 is shaped to accept a striker 20 (which is illustrated in Figure 1, but is not part of the tool) in a way that the striker does not move relative to the tool 30 so that the striker position is set. The first wall or side 44 sets the inboard position of the striker. The second side 46 defines an upper striker location on the door frame, a third side 48 defines a lower striker location on the door frame, and a fourth side 50 defines an outboard striker location on the door frame. The aperture 42 in the illustrated embodiment is proportioned so that each of the sides 44, 46, 48, and 50 contacts the striker 20 when it is received in the opening. Alternatively, and depending on the outline shape of the striker, the opening 42 may be shaped to contact only as many sides of the striker as is needed to hold it in position without movement relative to the tool 130. The inboard/outboard location of the striker, that is, the position of the striker on the door frame wall 16 relative to the door frame flange 18, is established by the end surface 40 and the aperture 42, which together define a distance from the end surface 40 to the striker 20. The width of the foot 38 corresponds to the distance to establish the position of the inboard side of the striker 20 to the door frame flange 18.

The striker position is important in truck cab assembly to establish a seal gap, a space between a door seal surface and door opening flange surface when the door is in the closed position. The door seal, typically a hollow rubber gasket member, fits between the door seal surface and door frame flange and is compressed between these surfaces when the door is closed. The seal gap determines in part the performance of the door seal: too large a seal gap may result in water leaks, air leaks, and/or door vibration, while too small a seal gap may result in excessive door closing efforts and over-compression of the seal, which may lead to more rapid door seal degradation. The foot 38 extends perpendicular to the body 32 to provide a larger end surface 40 than an edge of the plate shaped body 32 could provide to ensure good contact with the door frame flange and correct positioning of the tool with respect to the door frame flange. A lip 52 extends from the foot 38 at the end surface 40 to engage an edge of the door frame flange 18, which may be seen in Figure 4.

The second end portion 36 of the tool 30 includes a door striker simulator 54 which is engageable by a door latch. The door striker simulator 54 is located on the tool in the same vertical position as is desired for the striker when mounted on the door frame wall 16, so that when the door latch engages and locks on the striker simulator the tool and the door striker are correctly positioned vertically. In the illustrated embodiment of Figures 2 and 3, the door striker simulator 54 is a door striker mounted to the tool. Alternatively, the striker simulator may be a bolt, pin, post, or similar device capable of being engaged by the door latch formed on or mounted on the second end portion of the tool.

The second end portion 36 includes tabs to contact a door to orient the body 32 when the door striker simulator is engaged with a door latch. A first set of tabs 60 extends from a ridge 62 formed on the body 32. The first set of tabs 60 extend toward the second end portion 36. The first tabs 60 are positioned to contact an interior door surface 26 (See, Figure 4).

The second end portion 36 includes a second set of tabs 64 formed on the body 32 at the second end and extending in the same direction as does the ridge 62, that is, perpendicular to the first tabs 60. The second tabs 64 are positioned to contact a door latch surface 28 (See, Figure 5). As illustrated in Figure 4 (viewed from inside the cab) and Figure 5 (viewed from outside the cab), when a door latch engages and locks on the door striker simulator 50, the first tabs 60 and the second tabs 64 contact, respectively, the door interior surface 26 and latch surface 28. With the tabs 60, 64 in contact with the door and the latch engaged with the striker simulator 54, the tool 30 does not move relative to the door.

Figure 3 shows a rear view of the tool 30. A handle 70 is provided on a rear side of the tool (the side opposite the side carrying the striker simulator 50 and tabs 60, 64) to facilitate manually positioning the tool for engagement with the striker 20 and door latch 22.

To accommodate the arc that the latch travels on the hinged door, the body 30 has a bend located at the portion where the ridge 62 is formed so that the first end portion 34 and second end portion 36 are not on the same plane. The relative angle made by the first end portion 34 and second end portion 36 depends on the distance between the end portions. On the rear side, the bend is seen at edge 66.

Figures 6 and 7 illustrate an alternative embodiment of the invention adapted for an alternative door striker arrangement. In this alternative arrangement, the door latch is mounted on the surface of a door, rather than recessed in the door latch surface as in Figure 1, and the striker 120 includes a trapezoidal shaped body 124 having an upper wing 124 and a lower wing 126. The upper wing 124 and lower wing 126 of the striker define a space into which a body of the latch is received. A striker 120 for this arrangement includes a bolt 122 that is engaged by the latch.

Figure 6 shows a front view of a tool 130 and Figure 7 shows a rear view of the tool. The tool 130 includes a body 132 having a first end portion 134 and a second end portion 136. The first end portion 134 includes an end surface 138. As in the embodiment of Figures 2 and 3, the end surface 140 will abut a door frame flange when the tool 130 is in use. The first end portion 134 also includes an aperture 142 to receive a door striker 120 and engage it for alignment. The aperture 142 is defined by a first side 144, which opposite the end surface 138. The part of the body 132 between the end surface 138 and the first side 144 of the aperture 142 defines a foot 140. The end surface 138 and the aperture 142 define a striker location on the door frame wall in the transverse (inboard/outboard) direction.

In the illustrated embodiment, the aperture 142 is shaped to accept a striker 20 (not part of the tool) and, as illustrated for the trapezoidal striker, the aperture 142 is trapezoidal. The aperture 142 is defined by a first wall 144, as mentioned, a second wall 146 to define an upper striker location on the door frame, a third wall 148 to define a lower striker location on the door frame, and a fourth wall 150 to define an outboard striker location on the door frame. The aperture 142 is proportioned so that the second wall 146, third wall 148, and fourth wall 150 each contact the striker 120 when it is received in the aperture. The aperture 142 may be proportioned, alternatively, so that the first wall 144 also contacts the striker. It is noted that the walls need not be continuous and be in full contact with the striker. For example, because the striker is trapezoidal in shape, it may be sufficient to have contact with the second wall 146 and the third wall 148, which are angularly skewed relative to one another, and thus providing both vertical and horizontal alignment. In addition, the fourth wall 150 as shown may be used for horizontal alignment.

Turning to Figure 8, an alternative embodiment 230 of the tool of Figures 6 and 7 is illustrated. According to this embodiment, the first end 234 includes an upper aperture 246, a central aperture 242, and a lower aperture 248. The upper aperture 246 is provided to receive the upper wing 124 of the striker 122 and the lower aperture 248 is provided to receive the lower wing 126 of the striker. The central aperture 242 allows access to the striker pin to secure the striker in the aligned position. An end surface 238 of the body, when the tool is used, abuts a door frame flange 18. The upper aperture 246 and lower aperture 248 with the end surface 238 define a striker location on the door frame wall in the transverse (inboard/outboard) direction. A foot 240 includes the end surface 238 and central aperture 242. The foot 240 is shown having a gap 241 opening to the central aperture 242. Alternatively, the foot 240 may be continuous, that is, without a gap.

Returning to Figures 6 and 7, the second end portion 136 of the tool 130 includes a door striker simulator 156 which is engageable by a door latch. The door striker simulator 156 is located on the tool in the same vertical position as is desired for the striker when mounted on the door frame wall 16, so that when the door latch engages and locks on the striker simulator the tool and the door striker are correctly positioned vertically. In the illustrated embodiment of Figures 6 and 7, the door striker simulator 152 is a trapezoidal recess 154 in the second end portion 136 to receive the latch and a bolt 156 mounted to an arm 158 extending into the recess.

The second end portion 136 includes tabs to contact a door to orient the body 132 when the door strike simulator is engaged with a door latch. A first tab 160 extends from a ridge 162 formed on the body 132. The first tab 160 extends toward the second end portion 136. The first tab 160 is positioned to contact an interior door surface.

A handle 170 is provided on a rear of the tool (the side opposite the side carrying the striker simulator 152 and tab 160) to facilitate manually positioning the tool for engagement with the striker and door latch. To accommodate the circular path that the latch travel on the hinged door, the body 132 has a bend 166 located at the portion where the ridge 162 is formed so that the first end portion 134 and second end portion 136 are not on the same plane.

The tool of Figures 6 and 7 is not symmetrical about a horizontal plane and the illustrated tool is intended for a cab left side door and frame. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, a tool for the right side door and door frame would be a mirror image of the left side tool 130.

A method for aligning a vehicle door striker with a vehicle door latch device, according to the invention includes the steps of: providing a tool as described above, the tool having at least a body having a first portion for engaging a door striker and a second portion for engaging a door latch, the first portion having an opening to receive a door striker and an end surface to contact a door frame flange, and the second portion including a door strike simulator to engage a door latch, loosely attaching a door striker to a door frame, placing the first portion so that the striker is received in the opening and the end surface is in contact with the door frame flange, moving the door to a position in which the door latch engages the door striker simulator and, securing the door striker to the door frame in the position established by the tool.

Claims

1. A device for aligning a vehicle door striker with a vehicle door latch device, comprising: a body having a first end portion and a second end portion, the first end portion having an end surface to contact a door frame flange and an aperture to receive and position a door striker, and, the second end portion including a door strike simulator engageable by a door latch.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein, the aperture is spaced from the end surface a distance selected to position the striker relative to the door frame flange.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1, the aperture in the first end portion having a first wall, a second wall, a third wall, and a fourth wall, wherein the first wall is opposite the end surface and provides a surface to contact a striker inboard edge, the second wall provides a surface to contact a striker upper edge, the third wall provides a surface to contact a striker lower edge, and the fourth wall provides a surface to contact striker outboard edge.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1, the body comprising at least one tab at the second end portion to contact a door to orient the body when the door strike simulator is engaged with a door latch.

5. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the at least one tab is formed on a ridge on the body and the at least one tab extends toward the second end portion.

6. The device as claimed in claim 5, the body comprising a second tab formed on the body and extending in the direction of the ridge.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the aperture includes an upper aperture to receive an upper wing of a striker and a lower aperture to receive a lower wing of a striker.

8. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first end portion includes a foot extending perpendicularly to the body, the foot including the end surface.

9. A device for aligning a vehicle door striker with a vehicle door latch device, comprising: a body having a first end portion and a second end portion, the first end portion having an end surface to contact a door frame flange and an aperture to receive and position a door striker, wherein, the aperture is spaced from the end surface a distance to position the striker relative to the door frame flange, and, the second end portion includes a door strike simulator engageable by a door latch.

10. A method for aligning a vehicle door striker with a vehicle door latch device, comprising the steps of: providing a tool having a body having a first portion for engaging a door striker and a second portion for engaging a door latch, the first portion having an opening to receive a door striker and a foot to contact a door frame flange, and the second portion including a door strike simulator to engage a door latch; loosely attaching a door striker to a door frame; placing the first portion so that the striker is received in the opening and the foot is in contact with the door frame flange; moving the door to a position in which the door latch engaged the door striker simulator; and, securing the door striker to the door frame.