Hold down device and method for securing movable vehicle panels during processing
AssigneeFord Motor Company
InventorsKevin Favero, Michael Gardynik, Daniel Trentin, Steven Frank
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device for securing a movable panel relative to a vehicle body includes a housing, a plunger, a handle, and a spring. The housing defines a bore and a slot. The plunger includes a shaft and a clamp extending radially outward from the shaft. The shaft extends through the bore and is coupled to the housing for relative axial and rotational movement relative to the housing. The handle is fixedly coupled to the shaft and extends through the slot. The spring biases the clamp toward the housing.
Claims20
A device for securing a movable panel relative to a vehicle body, the device comprising:
- a housing defining a bore and a slot;
- a plunger including a shaft and a clamp extending radially outward from the shaft, the shaft extending through the bore and coupled to the housing for relative axial and rotational movement;
- a handle fixedly coupled to the shaft and extending through the slot;
- and
- a spring biasing the clamp toward the housing.
A device for securing a movable panel relative to a vehicle body, the device comprising:
- a housing including a first end wall and a cylindrical side wall, the first end wall defining a bore, the side wall being disposed about an axis and defining a slot, the slot including a first portion that extends in an axial direction and a second portion that extends in a circumferential direction;
- a plunger including a shaft and a clamp member, the shaft being disposed about the axis and extending through the bore for axial and rotational movement relative to the housing, the clamp member extending radially outward from a first end of the shaft;
- a handle fixedly coupled to the shaft and extending through the slot and configured to move the plunger between a retracted position wherein the handle extends through the first portion and an extended position wherein the handle extends through the second portion;
- and
- a spring disposed about the shaft and biasing the clamp in an axial direction toward the first end wall of the housing.
A method of securing a movable panel of a vehicle relative to a vehicle body, the method comprising:
- providing a fixture including a housing, a plunger, and a spring, the housing being fixed relative to the vehicle body, the housing defining a bore and a slot, the plunger including a shaft disposed about an axis and a clamp extending radially outward from an end of the shaft, the shaft extending through the bore, the plunger being movable relative to the housing between an extended position and a retracted position, the spring biasing the plunger axially toward the retracted position in which the clamp is closer to the housing than when in the extended position;
- moving the plunger to the extended position and through an aperture in the movable panel so the shaft extends axially through the aperture and the clamp is disposed on a side of the movable panel that is opposite the housing;
- rotating the plunger about the axis relative to the housing;
- releasing the plunger and allowing the spring to bias the clamp against the movable panel and toward the housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.