EP1300535A1 - Adjustable stop for movable members of a vehicle body - Google Patents

Abstract

The adjustable stop (1) for positioning motor vehicle bodywork sections (2,3) has a buffer ring (8) mounted on the stop body (4). The ring is prevented from movement along the body other than away from the stop control head (6) to engage the fixed bodywork section. The ring locks the stop body relatively to the fixed bodywork section (3).

Description

The present invention relates to an adjustable stop for moving parts of vehicle bodywork automobile.

Such an adjustable stop, once adjusted, allows the positioning of a movable body element of the motor vehicle, such as for example an opening or the hood of it, relative to the structure of the vehicle body so that the element of bodywork either in alignment or flush with the part of the surrounding body structure.

However, adjusting the positioning of the stop surface of the stop, which must correspond to outcrop or alignment of the movable member with the vehicle body is quite often difficult to implement, even for experienced people, and requires an adjustable stop of a structure relatively complex.

The object of the present invention is to eliminate the disadvantages above of adjustable stops by proposing an adjustable stop allowing the positioning of a motor vehicle body moving element relative to a structural element of the body, of the type comprising a control head integral with a stop body slidably mounted in an element forming a sleeve integral with the structural element of the body to allow the sliding of the stop in the sheath at its position adjusted by the element body mobile acting on the control head, and which is characterized in that it comprises a ring carried by the abutment body so as not to move the along this body only in a direction opposite to the head of command to bear on the structural element the body and lock the stop body relative to the structural element of the bodywork the set position of the stop.

The abutment body comprises on part of its length of at least two opposite series of teeth saws facing away from the control head to allow the locking ring to move by snap along the stop body in opposite direction to the control head and to oppose the sliding of the stop when it is in its position adjusted.

Preferably, the abutment body is cylindrical and the notches are circular.

The locking ring is of general shape cylindrical and at its end located on the side of the head which is axially split so as to define at at least two opposite radially elastic parts ensuring latching with the notches of the stop body and locking this body to the element of the bodywork now being resiliently supported on the respective notches.

The end of the ring is split axially in cross so as to define four end parts radially elastic, two to two diagonally opposed.

Advantageously, the end of the ring of locking is of frustoconical shape.

The control head is made of a material based on rubber overmolded on a plastic part rigid fixing to the stop body.

The stopper body and the locking ring are made of plastic.

The stop body is slidably mounted in the scabbard with friction to hold the stopper in place before being locked in its set position.

The movable bodywork element is an opening or a vehicle hood.

The invention also relates to a method for adjusting the positioning of the stop surface of a stop adjustable, as defined above, arranged between a movable element of a motor vehicle body and a structural element of the body, and which is characterized in that it consists in mounting the stop in the sheath with the locking ring located at proximity to the control head, set up the movable body element in its adjustment position relative to the body structure element for cause, by the control head contacting the element body mobile, sliding movement of the stop body in the sleeve at its adjustment dimension, and move the ring along the stop body to bring it resting on the structural element of the bodywork its position for locking the stopper in its position adjusted.

• la figure 1 est une vue en coupe longitudinale d'une butée de réglage conforme à l'invention ; et
• la figure 2 est une vue en perspective d'une bague de verrouillage faisant partie de la butée réglable de la figure 1.

The invention will be better understood, and other objects, characteristics, details and advantages thereof will appear more clearly in the explanatory description which follows, made with reference to the appended schematic drawings given solely by way of example illustrating a method of realization of the invention and in which:

• Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an adjustment stop according to the invention; and
• FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a locking ring forming part of the adjustable stop of FIG. 1.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, reference 1 designates an adjustable stop that can be used between a movable element 2 of the body of a motor vehicle and a structural element 3 of the body of this vehicle to position element 2 relative to item 3.

For example, the movable body element 2 can be an opening or bonnet of the vehicle which, when closed position, must be aligned or flush with the surrounding bodywork element 3 the movable element 2.

In the case of a hood or an opening, element 2 is mounted articulated or pivotable relative to the element bodywork 3.

Outcrop or alignment of the element mobile 2 of bodywork requires prior adjustment positioning of the stop surface of the stopper 1.

For this, the stop 1 comprises a body 4 mounted at sliding or slightly in force in a sheath 5 integral with the structural element 3 and a head control 6 made of a solid rubber material the stop body 4 opposite the sleeve 5.

When the movable body element 2 is brought at its determined adjustment position relative to structural element 3 of the bodywork, adjustment can be done if necessary using one or more several wedges 7 interposed between the two elements 2, 3, the movable body element 2 comes to bear on the control head 6 for sliding movement of the abutment body 4 relative to the structural element 3 to a position for adjusting the positioning of the surface stop of the stop and constituted by the head 6.

The stop 1 is then fixed relative to the structural element 3 of the bodywork in its position adjusted to position the movable element 2 relative to the structural element 3 at each element 2 closed.

According to the invention, the stop 1 comprises a ring 8 carried by the stop body 4 so as not to move along this body only in a direction opposite to the head of command 6 to press on the element of body structure 3 and lock the body of stop 4 relative to element 3 at the set position of the stop surface of the stopper 1.

For this purpose, preferably, the stop body 4 is cylindrical and includes over part of its length circular serrated notches 9 oriented in direction opposite the control head 6, i.e. towards the structural element 3, so as to allow the ring lock 8 to snap along of the stop body 4 in the opposite direction to the head of command 6 and to oppose the sliding movement from the stop 1 in the sleeve 4 to the set position of stop.

The ring 8, of generally cylindrical shape, has its end located on the side of the stop head 6 which is axially split at 10 so as to define two parts radially elastic opposites 8a, 8b ensuring latching with the notches 9 of the stop body 4 and the locking this body to the structural element of the body. Thus, when the ring 8 is in its position for locking the stopper 1 pressing on the element of structure 3 as shown in phantom in Figure 1, the free end of each part 8a, 8b of the ring 8 is engaged elastically at the bottom of the shoulder perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the stop body 4 defining a circular toothed notch 9 to prevent the movement of the stopper 1 in the direction indicated by the arrow A and thus keep the stopper in its position adjusted when the movable body element 2 comes to each time pressing the control head 6.

As shown in Figure 2, the two parts end 8a, 8b of the ring 8 can be truncated.

According to a variant embodiment not shown, the end of the locking ring 8 can be split axially crosswise to define four radially elastic and two-by-two end portions diagonally opposite.

Of course, the stop body 4, instead of being cylindrical, may be of square section and movable at sliding in a sleeve 5 of conjugate shape. In in this case, the abutment body 4 comprises two series of notches sawtooth 9 made respectively on the two opposite sides of the body 4, each notch of a series being straight and extending transversely to the direction longitudinal of the stop body 4. Of course, the ring lock 8 will have a central shaped hole combined with the stop body 4 having at least two end portions with planar parallel internal surface the ends of which can engage elastically at the bottom of the respective serrated notches 9.

To prevent stop 1 from moving relative to the structural element 3 in the opposite direction to that of arrow A, it can be kept in the sheath 5 by friction or, if necessary, by any suitable positive locking means if stopper 1 should be used under conditions such as friction support would not be sufficient.

The stop body 4 and the locking ring 8 can be made of plastic or in another suitable subject.

In addition, the control head 6 can be molded on a rigid plastic part 11 covering the end of the stop body 4 being fixed to this last for example by collage.

Finally, the sheath 5 is made in one piece with the structural element 3 of the body of the vehicle so that there is no room intermediate link between sleeve and stop body 4. As a variant, the sheath 5 is attached to the element of structure 3 by being integral with the latter by welding or by collage.

The method of adjusting the positioning of the adjustable stop stop surface 1 already comes out of the description above and will now be briefly Explain.

The assembly constituted by the stop body 4, the control head 6 and the locking ring 8 is preassembled. Then, the stop thus formed is mounted in the sheath 5 of the structural element 3 of the vehicle body with locking ring 8 located near the control head 6. When the movable element 2 is positioned correctly, using one or more adjustment shims 7, relative to the structural element 3, the stop body 4 is moved in the direction of arrow A to its position set to which element 2 moved stopper 1 to this position adjusted by contacting the control head 6. After removal of the movable element 2, the ring 8 is maneuvered so as to snap it along of the stop body 4 until it comes to bear on the structural element 3 so that its end free engages elastically in the bottom of the notch corresponding sawtooth to lock stopper 1 in the direction indicated by arrow A and oppose everything subsequent movement of the stopper in this direction each time once the movable element 2 is brought to its position relative determined to the structural element 3.

The adjustable stop according to the invention allows a quick adjustment of the position of its stop surface and is extremely simple in structure.

Claims (12)

Adjustable stop (1) allowing the positioning of a movable element (2) of a motor vehicle body relative to a structural element (3) of the body, of the type comprising a control head (6) integral with a body of stop (4) slidably mounted in a sheath element (5) integral with the structural element (3) of the bodywork to allow the stop (1) to slide in the sheath (5) in its position adjusted by the movable bodywork element (2) acting on the control head (6), characterized in that it comprises a ring (8) carried by the abutment body (4) so as not to move along this body that in a direction opposite to the control head (6) to come to bear on the structural element (3) of the bodywork and lock the abutment body (4) relative to the structural element (2) of the bodywork in the set position of the stop (1). Adjustable stop according to claim 1, characterized in that the stop body (4) comprises, over a part of its length, at least two opposite series of sawtooth notches (9) oriented in opposite directions to the control head (6 ) so as to allow the locking ring (8) to snap along the stop body (4) in the opposite direction to the control head (6) and to oppose the sliding of the stop (1 ) when it is in its set position. Adjustable stop according to claim 2, characterized in that the stop body (4) is cylindrical and the notches (9) are circular. Adjustable stop according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the ring (8) is of generally cylindrical shape and at its end situated on the side of the stop head (6) which is axially split so as to define at least two parts radially elastic opposites (8a, 8b) ensuring the latching with the notches (9) of the stop body (4) and the locking of this body to the structural element (3) of the bodywork while being resiliently supported on the respective notches (9). Adjustable stop according to claim 4, characterized in that the end of the ring (8) is split axially in a cross so as to define four radially elastic end portions two by two diagonally opposite. Adjustable stop according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the end of the ring (8) is of frustoconical shape. Adjustable stop according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control head (6) is made of a rubber-based material overmolded on a rigid plastic part (11) for fixing to the stop body (4). Adjustable stop according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the stop body (4) and the locking ring (8) are made of a plastic material. Adjustable stop according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the stop body (4) is slidably mounted in the sheath (5) with friction to hold the stop (1) in place before being locked in its adjusted position . Stop according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sleeve (5) is produced in one piece with the structural element (3) of the vehicle body. Stop according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the movable body element (2) is an opening or a hood of the vehicle. Method for adjusting the positioning of the stop surface of an adjustable stop (1) as defined in one of the preceding claims and arranged between a movable element (2) of a motor vehicle body and a structural element (3 ) of the bodywork, characterized in that it consists in mounting the stop (1) in the sleeve (5) with the locking ring (8) located near the control head (6), put the movable body element (2) in its adjustment position relative to the structural element (3) of the body to cause, by the control head (6) contacting the movable body element (2), displacement by sliding of the abutment body (4) in the sleeve (5) at its adjustment dimension, and moving the ring (8) along the abutment body (4) to bring it to bear on the structural element (3 ) from the body to its stop position (1) in its adjusted position.

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