BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the alignment of vehicle doors, and in particular to a method and apparatus utilizing a hardenable resin means to create and permanently locate an aligned door structural key member or hinge.

2. Discussion of the Prior Art The present invention is particularly advantageous when used in conjunction with vertically sliding doors, which are disclosed in U.S patent application serial number 07/912,790, filed July 13, 1992 by John A. Townsend and entitled IMPROVEMENTS IN SLIDING AUTOMOBILE DOOR. As opposed to conventional vehicle doors which swing outwardly on hinges, a vertically sliding door slides under or over the vehicle when opened. Among the many advantages to this type of door configuration is that a full vehicle chassis is formed when the door is closed because the door becomes an integral part of the chassis structure. Wedge shaped structural key members on the forward and rearward edges of the door interlock with mating receptacles on the forward and rearward edges of the door opening. When the door is closed, tensile and compressive forces can be transmitted through the door. The chassis frame of the vehicle forms a more continuous cage around the occupants, offering much greater frame stiffness and passenger protection from impact from all directions. In order for a vertically sliding door to form part of the chassis structure when closed, the structural key members and mating receptacles should

be tightly fitting and accurately aligned with respect to one another so that there can be no relative movement between them when the door is fully closed. Vertically sliding doors have this constraint in addition to the alignment that must be made to conventional doors, wherein the outer surface of the door must be properly aligned with adjacent vehicle body panels. With the increasing standards of automobile fit and finish, this part of the door alignment must also be made with high accuracy.

In order for a door to be properly aligned when installed on a vehicle, door hardware, such as key members and receptacles for vertically sliding doors, or hinges and latches for conventional doors, must be located very accurately on the door and vehicle. Alternatively, some of these features can be adjustably mounted. However, unless access is available to the adjustable hardware when the door is closed, the door must be aligned when open and checked when closed in a trial and error type alignment procedure. Also, adjustable door hardware can compromise the structural integrity of the door. Whether on the assembly line or in the repair shop, existing methods of door alignment provide impediments to increasing the quality of the fit between the door and the vehicle, and to reducing the time and cost associated with the manufacture, assembly and alignment of vehicle doors.

What has been needed is an improved method for manufacturing and aligning doors that allows door hardware to be made with lower dimensional tolerances, and allows lower positional tolerances of door hardware with respect to the door and door opening, yet provides an accurately aligned door after assembly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention solves the above mentioned problems by utilizing a hardenable liquid resin means to fill a void between mating members of door hardware when the door is in a closed position, thereby creating aligned door hardware partly formed by the hardened resin means.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, resin means is utilized to fill a void between a structural key member on a vertically sliding door and a loosely mating receptacle on the door opening, thereby forming a tightly mating, hard resin means receptacle that tightly conforms to the shape of the key member in an aligned position. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, a tightly conforming sheath is interposed between the key member and receptacle described in the preferred embodiment above . The sheath stays adhered to the hardened resin means inside the receptacle and provides a strong, wear resistant surface for receiving the key member of the door when in the closed position.

In another alternative embodiment of the invention, resin means is utilized to fill a void between a sleeve covered hinge post located on a door opening and a loosely mating housing located on an aligned door, thereby allowing the door and sleeve to pivot on the post in a permanently aligned fashion. In all of the above embodiments of the present invention, the tolerances of the door hardware can be reduced, while a better fitting door is provided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view showing structural key members located on a vertically sliding door and a mating receptacle located on a door opening.

Figure 2 is a side elevation cross-sectional view, taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing the key member entering the mating receptacle.

Figure 3 is a front elevation cross-sectional view, taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2, showing the key member entering the mating receptacle.

Figure 4 is similar to Fig. 2, showing the key member engaged with the mating receptacle, and resin means filling the void therebetween. Figure 5 is similar to Fig. 3, showing the key member engaged with the mating receptacle, and resin means filling the void therebetween.

Figure 6 is similar to Fig. 4, showing the resin means mold left in the receptacle when the key member is removed.

Figure 7 is similar to Fig. 5, showing the resin means mold left in the receptacle when the key member is removed.

Figure 8 is similar to Fig. 3, showing another embodiment having a sheath over the key member.

Figure 9 is similar to Fig. 8, showing the sheath covered key member engaged with the mating receptacle.

Figure 10 is similar to Fig. 9, showing resin means filling the void between the sheath and the mating receptacle.

Figure 11 is similar to Fig. 10, showing the hardened resin means and sheath left behind when the key member is removed.

Figure 12 is a side elevation cross-sectional view showing yet another embodiment of the invention applied to a door hinge.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to Figure 1, the preferred embodiments of the invention are used in conjunction with a vertically sliding door 10. The advantages and a more detailed description of vertically sliding vehicle doors are fully disclosed in U.S patent application serial number 07/912,790, filed July 13, 1992 by John A. Townsend and entitled IMPROVEMENTS IN SLIDING AUTOMOBILE DOOR. In summary, door 10 travels along an arcuate path, as shown by arrow A, from an open and stowed position beneath the vehicle (not shown) , to a raised, closed position. At least one structural key member 12 is rigidly attached to each end of the door 10. Complementary shaped, mating receptacles 14 are rigidly attached to each side 16 of the door opening (only one side shown) . When door 10 is moving between an open and closed position, it is allowed to move in and out, and forward and aft. When door 10 is raised into a fully closed position, key members 12 engage respective mating receptacles 14, thereby locking door 10 into a fixed position. In previous versions of vertically sliding doors, the wedge shaped key members fit tightly into receptacles having complementary, wedge shaped cavities. With the present invention, by contrast, the receptacle cavity 18 is larger than the corresponding portion of key member 12 that it accommodates. This oversized receptacle 14 allows the key to move up and down, in and out, and forward and aft to accommodate door alignment during initial

vehicle assembly or repair. The remaining cavity 18 that is not occupied by the key member 12 of the aligned door 10 is then filled with a hardenable liquid resin means, as described below, to produce a tight fitting receptacle 14 which keeps the door 10 aligned in the closed position.

This alignment system allows the key members 12 and mating receptacles 14 to be incorporated into the door 10 and sides 16 of the door opening, respectively, with looser size and positional tolerances, thereby lowering manufacturing costs. Because door 10 can be easily and permanently aligned upon installation, assembly costs are reduced. The alignment system accommodates last minute adjustments during assembly, thereby increasing the quality of the fit and reducing the number of doors and vehicles rejected for poor fit. The previous structural advantages of vertically sliding doors are retained, because the present invention provides a strong, tight fit between the key members 12 and mating receptacles 14, thereby allowing tensile and compressive forces to be transmitted between the vehicle's chassis frame and door 10.

Referring now to Figs. 2 through 7, a progression of three assembly steps according to the present invention is shown, with the even numbered figures showing a side view and the odd numbered figures showing a frontal view. Although only one pair of key member 10 and mating receptacle 14 is shown, a typical door would preferably have at least two pairs, and possibly six pairs or more, each constructed and operating in a similar fashion.

Referring first to Figs. 2 and 3, a key member 12 is shown entering into engagement with mating receptacle 14. The fully engaged position is shown

in phantom lines. Preferably, a mold releasing agent is applied to key member 12 before it is engaged with receptacle 14. Cavity 18 within receptacle 14 can be any shape, but should be large enough to allow key member 12 to move in any direction sufficient to allow the attached door (not shown) to be moved into an aligned position with respect to the vehicle. Entry passage 22 communicating with cavity 18 is provided in receptacle 14. Retaining grooves 24 are also provided around the interior surface of receptacle 14.

Referring next to Figs. 4 and 5, after the key member 12 attached to door 10 is held in an aligned position, a liquid resin means 26 is introduced into cavity 18 through entry passage 22. Preferably, the liquid resin means 26 fills the entire cavity 18 not occupied by key member 12. The less viscous the liquid resin means 26 is, the more likely it will be to fill the entire cavity 18, including retaining grooves 24, without trapping any air inside.

Referring now to Figs. 6 and 7, the liquid resin means 26 is allowed to harden into a solid resin means 28. The door 10 is then released from being externally held in the aligned position. Door 10 can then be lowered into an open position, causing key member 10 to disengage from receptacle 14 and solid resin means 28. When the key member 12 is removed, an imprint or mold of its exact shape and aligned position is retained in the solid resin means 28. This ensures that key member 12 and door 10 will always return to the same aligned position every time the door is closed. Retaining grooves 24 ensure that the solid resin means 28 remains permanently in place inside receptacle 14.

Referring to Figs. 8 through 11, an alternative embodiment is shown by a progression of four assembly steps. This alternative embodiment is similar to the embodiment described above, but key member 12 is fitted with a complementary shaped sheath 30, which becomes permanently embedded in an aligned position in receptacle 14. Sheath 30 is made of hardened steel, or some other tough and wear resistant material, to keep key member 12 in an aligned position after many door opening and closing.

Referring first to Fig. 8, a sheath 30 is shown closely fitted to key member 12. Sheath 30 may be temporarily held in place during assembly by a removable pin (not shown) , or by some other suitable means. Both the interior surface of receptacle 14 and the exterior surface of sheath 30 have retaining grooves 24. Entry passage 22 communicating with cavity 18 is provided in receptacle 14.

Referring next to Fig. 9, the key member 12 and sheath 30 are shown inserted up into cavity 18 of receptacle 14. Cavity 18 can be any shape, but should be large enough to allow key member 12 to move in any direction sufficient to allow the attached door (not shown) to be moved into an aligned position with respect to the vehicle. A temporary resin means retaining barrier 32 is also shown. Temporary barrier 32, if needed, can be put in place after key member 12 and sheath 30 are engaged in receptacle 14, as shown. Alternatively, a permanent resin means barrier can be integrally formed along the lower edge of sheath 30.

Referring now to Fig. 10, liquid resin means 26 is introduced into cavity 18 through entry passage 22 after door 10 has been aligned and key member 10 is in the proper position. Barrier 32 prevents liquid

resin means 26 from flowing out past key member 12. Preferably, the entire volume of cavity 18 between sheath 30 and the inner surface of receptacle 14 is filled with liquid resin means 26. Referring now to Fig. 11, liquid resin means 26 is allowed to harden into a solid resin means 28. If a resin means barrier 32 was used, it may be removed at this point. Also, if a removable pin was used to temporarily secure sheath 30 to key member 12, it should be removed at this point. The key member 12 can now be removed from receptacle 14 as door 10 is lowered into an open position, leaving sheath 30 behind permanently aligned in solid resin means 28. Whenever door 10 is now raised into the closed position, sheath 30 engages key member 12 and moves door 10 into the aligned position. Retaining grooves 24 on the exterior surface of sheath 30 and on the interior surface of receptacle 14 ensure that sheath 30 and solid resin means 28 remain adhered in place. In both embodiments above, the positions of the key member 12 and mating receptacle 14 can be swapped. In other words, the key member 12 could be located on the side of the door opening (pointing down) and the mating receptacle 14 would then be located on the corresponding edge of the door (facing up) . Alternatively or additionally, the hardened resin means could remain adhered to the key member rather than the receptacle (not shown) . In this case the receptacle would be coated with mold release instead of the key member, and the key member would carry retaining grooves instead of the receptacle . If a sheath were used in this embodiment, it would be designed to closely mate with the receptacle and would stay attached over the hardened resin means on the key member.

Referring to Fig. 12, another alternative embodiment is shown involving a conventional vehicle door hinge. Although only one hinge assembly is shown, a vehicle door would preferably incorporate two or more hinge assemblies constructed and operating in a similar fashion.

According to the present invention, a post 34 is attached to, for example, the edge of a door opening on a vehicle (not shown) . A rotatable sleeve 36 is fit over post 34. Housing 38 is attached to the forward edge of the door (not shown) . Housing 38 includes a cavity large enough to allow post 34 and sleeve 36 to move in any direction within the cavity sufficient to allow the attached door (not shown) to be moved into an aligned position with respect to the vehicle.

Once the door is aligned, resin means 40 in a liquid state is introduced into the cavity within housing 38. Preferably, resin means 40 fills the entire cavity not occupied by the post 34 and sleeve 36. If needed, temporary or permanent resin retaining means (not shown) can be located adjacent the bottom of the cavity to prevent resin means 40 from escaping. Resin means 40 is then allowed to harden. Retaining grooves 42 are provided around the exterior surface of sleeve 36 to ensure that sleeve 36 is retained solidly in place. The door can now be released and is free to pivot on post 34. Because sleeve 36 is permanently embedded in resin means 40, the door remains in an aligned position.

In an alternative arrangement (not shown) , post 34 can be attached to the door instead of the door opening, and housing 38 attached to the door opening. The present invention can also be applied to

tailgates and any other door type utilizing conventional hinges and requiring alignment.

A door can be arranged so that it can be removed by sliding sleeve (s) 36 off of post(s) 34. When the door is reinstalled, it will retain its alignment. All of the above embodiments can be used to align vehicle doors permanently for the life of the vehicle. However, should repair, replacement or realignment of the door be required, the resin means can be removed, such as by milling or chiseling, or the receptacle 14 and sheath 30 or housing 38 and sleeve 36 can be replaced with new parts. The original alignment procedure can then be carried out again to realign the door, as described above. When the present invention is used on a vehicle assembly line, a robot may be used to align door 10 with respect to the door opening 16 and hold it there until the liquid resin means 26 is injected and hardens. Alternatively, a suitably fixtured jig could be used to locate and secure the door against the vehicle frame. A manual jig would obviously be more feasible for use in a repair shop.

What is meant by resin means above is any hardenable or settable substance that is initially liquid, semisolid or otherwise moldable. This includes, but is not limited to, resins, epoxies, glues, plastics, gels, putties, or fusible powders that can sufficiently flow around or conform to a key member 12 or post sleeve 36 as described above, and then be set. Means for setting the resin means includes, but is not limited to, mixing of components, change in temperature, exposure to or deprivation of oxygen, or change in pressure.

The most important properties that the resin means should have once cured are hardness, wear

resistance and fast drying time. Good hardness and wear resistance characteristics allow a vertically sliding door in the preferred embodiment to open and close many times without damage or wear and to withstand large forces in a vehicle collision. Fast drying time is important for use of the resin means on a vehicle assembly line.

The resin means that has been used for prototypes of the present invention is METALBOND PUTTY PASTE, manufactured by UNITED RESIN

CORPORATION, 4359 Normandy Court, Royal Oak, Michigan, 48073. This resin has some metallic content. Because of its excellent wear resistance, it appears that a sheath 30 will not be necessary. This resin has a drying time of about 3 to 4 minutes. Based on the types of resins now available in the automobile industry, it is envisioned that a similar resin will be found or custom formulated to have a drying time of about 30 seconds to 1 minute. It is also anticipated that the resin will have a consistency such that a resin barrier 32 will not be required.

While the present invention is disclosed by reference to the examples and preferred embodiments detailed above, it is to be understood that these embodiments are intended in an illustrative rather than limiting sense, as it is contemplated that modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art, which modifications will be within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.