Door support system

#The present invention relates to a door support system for supporting a vehicle door on a vehicle body for movement in opposing opening and closing directions. More particularly, the present invention relates to an infinite door check system of the door support system for controlling opening and closing movements of the vehicle door relative to the vehicle body.

#A conventional door check system typically comprises an elongated link member having detents that are engaged by spring-biased rollers or sliders to releasably hold a motor vehicle door in a predetermined open position. This prevents unwanted swinging of the door until sufficient force is applied to the door to overcome the spring biasing of the rollers or sliders. However, the link member has only one or two detents such that the door may be held in only one or two predetermined open positions.

#An infinite door check system of the type herein contemplated is advantageous because the system enables the user to secure the door in any desired position. PCT Application EP 00/00159 discloses an infinite door check system including a mechanical switching unit that can assume different positions. In general, the unit comprises a thrust washer, an upper and lower lifting washer having depressions facing one another, balls received between the upper and lower lifting washers in the depressions thereof, a thrust ring, and a stack of alternating first and second braking disks. When no force is exerted on the door, the balls are situated in the lowest points of the depressions and a spring force exerted on the thrust washer is transmitted through the upper lifting washer and the thrust ring to the stack of braking disks. Compression of the stack of disks produces a frictional connection between the vehicle door and the vehicle body, thus securing them against relative rotational movement with respect to each other. When the vehicle door is pivoted with respect to the vehicle body, the pivoting movement causes the thrust washer to be rotated. This rotational movement is transmitted to the upper lifting washer, which in turn causes the upper lifting washer to be rotated relative to the lower lifting washer. The balls received between the lifting washers rise in their depressions, which causes an increase in the distance between the lifting washers. Because of this increase in distance, the connection between the upper lifting washer and the thrust ring is interrupted, thus relieving the frictional connection between the stack of first and second braking disks. As a result, the vehicle door may rotate freely with respect to the vehicle body.

#The accompanying drawings facilitate an understanding of the various embodiments of this invention. In such drawings:

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a motor vehicle utilizing a door support system constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

#FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the door support system constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

#FIG. 2 shows a door support system, shown generally at 10, for supporting a motor vehicle door 12 on a motor vehicle body 14 (shown in FIG. 1) for movement in opposing opening and closing directions. The construction of a motor vehicle, generally shown at 13 in FIG. 1, and the door 12 and the body 14 thereof are conventional and thus will not be detailed herein. Instead, the present invention is concerned with the door support system 10.

#Referring now more particularly to FIG. 2, the door support system 10 comprises a door hinge system 16 and an infinite door check system 18.

#The door hinge system 16 includes a pair of first mounting structures 20 and a pair of second mounting structures 22 that are pivotally coupled such that the first and second mounting structures 20, 22 are pivotable relative to one another about a pivotal axis 24. In the illustrated embodiment, the first mounting structures 20 are constructed and arranged to be mounted to the vehicle body 14 in spaced apart relation and the second mounting structures 22 are constructed and arranged to be mounted to the vehicle door 12 in spaced apart relation. The first mounting structures 20 and the second mounting structures 22 are pivotally coupled together to support the vehicle door 12 and provide for the movement of the vehicle door 12 relative to the vehicle body 14 about the pivotal axis 24 in the opening and closing directions. These mounting structures 20, 22 may have any suitable construction for connection to the vehicle door 12 and the vehicle body 14, and the specific constructions disclosed herein are only intended to be illustrative.