Door holding device to prevent unintentional door slamming during paint processing

Abstract

Door holding device (10), comprising: a base (20) defining a hook designed to interact with a door (110) or door frame (210) of a vehicle; and a magnet (40) attached to the base (20), wherein the magnet (40) is designed to interact with the door (110) or the door frame (210) with which the door holding device (10) does not interact via the hook, wherein the door holding device (10) is designed to hook onto the door (110) or the door frame (210) of the vehicle in order to position the door holding device (10) between the door (110) and the door frame (210), wherein the magnet (40) in a partially closed door position is designed to connect with the door frame (210) or the door (110) in order to hold the door (110) relative to the door frame (210) and to prevent the door (110) from closing completely;characterized in that the door holding device (10) is designed to engage a section of the door (110) defining an opening (120) which is designed to allow access to a door lock, wherein a gap (80) defined between the base (20) and a tab (70) is designed to accommodate the section of the door (110) defining the opening (120); or that a gap (80) defined between the base (20) and a tab (70) is designed to accommodate a section of the door (110) defining an opening (120), and the tab (70) comprises a raised surface (74) at a distal end (72) thereof.

Description

INTRODUCTION The present invention relates to a door holding device for preventing unintentional door slamming during paint processing according to the preamble of claim 1, as is known essentially from US 2018 / 0008998 A1. Further details of the state of the art can be found in the publications DE 10 2008 009 590 B4 , US 11 319 008 B2 and JP 2015 - 9 692 A . During the painting process, the vehicle doors are typically opened to varying degrees to facilitate painting the door and door frame. The door is usually not fully closed to avoid damaging the paint on the door frame. The painting process generally takes place before the final door lock and door stop linkage are installed. The door stop linkage is a device that limits the degree to which the door can open, allowing it to be held in one or more predetermined positions along a range of motion permitted by the door hinge. SUMMARY According to the invention, a door holding device is presented which is characterized by the features of claim 1. The door holding device comprises: a base defining a hook designed to interact with a vehicle door or door frame; and a magnet attached to the base, the magnet being designed to interact with the door or door frame with which the door holding device does not interact via the hook. The door holding device is designed to hook onto the vehicle door or door frame to position the device between the door and the door frame. In a partially closed door position, the magnet is designed to connect with the door frame or door to hold the door relative to the door frame and prevent the door from closing completely. The door holding device is designed to hook onto a section of the door that defines an opening designed to allow access to a door lock.A gap defined between the base and a tab is designed to receive the section of the door that defines the opening. Alternatively, a gap defined between the base and a tab is designed to receive a section of the door that defines an opening, and the tab includes a raised surface at its distal end. In other features, the tab extends beyond a distal end of the base and is designed to sit in the opening when the door holding device is hooked onto the door. Another feature is a cover over the magnet. In other respects, the cover is made of a polymeric material. In other features, the lid is attached to the base with a fastening element. In other features, the base defines a recess designed to interact with the fastening element. In other respects, the fastening element is a rivet. Other features of the door holding device include a handle. In other features, the handle is designed as a flange that extends beyond an outer surface of the base. Another door holding device comprises: a base comprising an outer surface and an inner surface opposite the outer surface; a magnet seated on the outer surface of the base; a cover over the magnet, the cover being attached to the base by a fastener attached to the base; a tab opposite and spaced from the inner surface of the base to define a gap between the tab and the inner surface of the base, the tab extending outward beyond a distal end of the base; and a handle. The door holding device is designed to engage with a vehicle door to position the device between the door and a vehicle door frame. In a partially closed door position, the magnet is designed to engage with a vehicle door frame to hold the door relative to the door frame and prevent the door from closing completely. In other features, the cover is removable and made of polymeric material. In further features, the base defines a recess designed to interact with the fastening element, which is designed as a rivet. In other features, a flange of the handle extends beyond the outer surface of the base. Another door holding device comprises: a base comprising an outer surface, an inner surface opposite the outer surface, and a recess on one side of the base; a magnet seated on the outer surface of the base; a cover over the magnet, the cover being made of a polymeric material and attached to the base; a fastening element interacting with the cover and the base at the recess of the base to secure the cover to the base; a flexible tab opposite and spaced from the inner surface of the base to define a gap between the flexible tab and the inner surface of the base, the flexible tab comprising a raised surface at a distal end thereof; and a handle comprising a flange extending outward from the base beyond the outer surface of the base.The door holding device is designed to hook onto a vehicle door, positioning it between the door and the vehicle's door frame. In a partially closed position, the magnet engages with the door frame to hold the door relative to the frame and prevent it from closing completely. In other features, the flexible flap extends beyond a distal end of the base. In other respects, the fastening element is designed as a rivet. In other respects, the polymeric material of the cover includes nylon. Further applications of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description, the claims, and the drawings. The detailed description and the specific examples serve only for illustration. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will be better understood with reference to the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a door holding device according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a side view of the door holding device of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an exploded view of the door holding device of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the door holding device of Fig. 1 clamped to a door; Fig. 5 is another perspective view of the door holding device of Fig. 1 clamped to the door; Fig. 6 illustrates the interaction between the door holding device and both the door and a door frame; and Fig. 7 is a perspective view of another door holding device according to the present invention. Reference symbols can be reused in the drawings to identify similar and / or identical elements. DETAILED DESCRIPTION During vehicle painting, the doors are opened and closed at various stages of the process. At certain times, care must be taken to ensure the door does not close completely. Otherwise, the still-wet paint on the door frame could be damaged. The present invention provides a door holding device designed to attach to the door at an opening for a door lock. The door holding device includes a magnet designed to connect to the metal door frame in an area that will later be covered by a sealing strip. The interaction between the device's magnet and the door frame keeps the door closed, allows the door to be opened as needed during painting, and prevents the door from closing completely, which could damage the paint on the door frame.Any damage to the door frame's paintwork caused by the interaction between the magnet and the frame is ultimately covered by the sealing strip. Thus, no paint interruption is visible at the end of production. The door holding device of the present invention eliminates the need for a temporary door stop connector during the painting process. The door holding device is designed for attachment to a vehicle door but can also be adapted for other applications outside of vehicles. Figures 1-3 illustrate an exemplary door holding device 10 according to the present invention. The device 10 generally comprises a base 20 with an outer surface 22, an inner surface 24, and a distal end 26. The outer surface 22 faces the inner surface 24. A magnet 40 is attached to the base 20. The magnet 40 can be any suitable magnet designed to interact with a vehicle door frame. For example, the magnet 40 can be an N42SH neodymium magnet. The magnet 40 can have any suitable shape and size. For example, the magnet 40 can be 0.5" x 0.5" x 1". The magnet 40 is attached to the base 20 in any suitable way. For example, the magnet 40 can be directly connected to the base 20 or held against the base by a cover 50. The cover 50 can be made of any suitable material, such as a polymer. For example, the cover 50 can be made of heat-resistant nylon 6 / 6 plastic. The cover 50 is attached to the base 20 by any suitable fastener 60. The fastener 60 can, for example, be a rivet designed to sit in an opening 52 defined by the cover 50 and to engage with a U-shaped cutout 30 defined by the base 20. The fastener 60 can also be designed to engage with the base 20 in any other suitable manner. During painting, cover 50 can become covered with paint, which can build up over numerous coats. If the paint layer becomes too thick for further use, cover 50 can be removed and replaced. For example, fastener 60 can be pushed out of cutout 30 to remove and recycle cover 50. A new cover 50 can then be attached over magnet 40 using the used fastener 60 or a new fastener 60. Whether or not fastener 60 can be reused depends on its design. If fastener 60 is designed as a screw, it can likely be used. If fastener 60 is designed as a rivet, it is likely not reusable. Depending on various circumstances, only magnet 40 may be reusable. The door retaining device 10 further comprises a tab 70, which may be flexible. The tab 70 faces and is spaced from the inner surface 24 of the base 20. The tab 70 defines a gap 80 between the inner surface 24 of the base 20 and the tab 70. A distal end 72 of the tab 70 extends outward beyond the distal end 26 of the base 20. At or near the distal end 72 of the tab 70 is a raised surface 74, which facilitates the interaction between the flexible tab 70 and the door, as explained herein. The gap 80 provides a hook or clamp designed to interact with the door to connect the device 10 to the door, as explained herein. The door holding device 10 also includes a handle 90, which in the illustrated example is generally a flange extending outwards beyond the outer surface 22 of the base 20. The handle 90 is designed to be gripped by a human or robotic installer for installation in a vehicle door or other suitable door. The handle 90 may be designed in any other suitable way to facilitate the installation of the device 10 in any suitable door. Figures 4, 5, and 6 illustrate an exemplary door 110 and the door holding device 10 suspended from the door 110. The door 110 defines an opening 120 behind which a door lock is ultimately installed. The device 10 can be designed to be suspended from any other suitable section of the door 110. In the illustrated example, the device 10 is positioned such that the tab 70 is located inside the opening 120 and the base 20 with the magnet 40 is located outside the opening 120. A section of the door 110 thus sits within the gap 80 and on one side of the raised surface 74 opposite the distal end 72 of the flexible tab 70. The raised surface 74 facilitates holding the device 10 in the opening 120. The device 10 is designed to hold the door 110 partially closed against the door frame 210 during the painting process, which typically takes place before the installation of a door lock and a door stop connecting element. The door stop connecting element is a device that limits the degree of possible door opening and allows the door to be held in one or more predetermined positions along a door opening path permitted by the door hinge. The device 10 holds the door 110 partially closed by the interaction between the magnet 40 and a section 220 of the door frame 210 (see Fig. 6), which is covered by a sealing strip after painting. The section 220 is metallic and may include a flange for mounting the sealing strip. The handle 90 typically extends into the door frame 210 when the door 110 is in the partially closed position. The interaction between the magnet 40 of the device 10 and the area 220 of the door frame 210, as illustrated in Fig. 6, keeps the door 110 partially closed, allows the door 110 to be opened as needed during painting, and prevents the door 110 from closing completely, which could damage the paint applied to the door frame 210. By preventing the door 110 from closing completely, the device 10 acts as a stop to prevent the door frame 210 from coming into contact with wet paint, such as wet paint on the surface 230. Any damage to the paint on the door frame 210 caused by the interaction between the magnet 40 and the door frame 210 (especially the area 220 and the surface 230 of the door frame 210) is ultimately covered by the sealing strip. Thus, no color break is visible at the end of production.The door holding device 10 of the present invention eliminates the need for a temporary door stop connecting element during the painting process. The device 10 is also free from any mechanical manipulation or mechanism as part of its functionality that could be mispositioned or otherwise fail to function as intended. While Figures 4, 5, and 6 illustrate how the device 10 is hooked onto the door 110, the orientation can be reversed so that the device 10 is attached to the door frame 210 in any suitable manner. For example, the device 10 can be hooked onto any suitable section of the door frame 210. When the device 10 is hooked onto the door frame 210, the interaction between the magnet 40 of the device 10 and the door 110 keeps the door 110 partially closed, allows the door 110 to be opened if necessary during painting, and prevents the door 110 from closing completely, which could damage the paint applied to the door 110 and / or the door frame 210. Fig. 7 illustrates another exemplary door holding device 310 according to the present invention. The door holding device 310 is designed to be attached to the door frame 210. The device 310 comprises a main body 320. The device 310 is designed to be attached either to the door frame on the right side of the vehicle or to the door frame on the left side of the vehicle. To facilitate the placement of the device 310, the device 310 may include right and left indicators, such as an 'R' 322 and an 'L' 324, which are printed, engraved, or otherwise incorporated into the main body 320 to facilitate the placement of the device 310 on a door frame on the right side of the vehicle or a door frame on the left side of the vehicle. A hook base 330 is located at a distance from the main body 320. The hook base 330 is connected to the main body 320 via an arm 332. The hook base 330 comprises a right hook 340A and a left hook 340B. The right hook 340A is designed to engage with any suitable section of a right-hand vehicle door frame, such as a right-hand opening. The left hook 340B is designed to engage with any suitable section of a left-hand vehicle door frame, such as a left-hand opening. The main body 320 defines a right slot 350A and a left slot 350B. The right slot 350A is designed to engage with any suitable section of a right-hand side of a vehicle door frame, such as to receive a sealing strip flange on the right-hand side of a vehicle.The left slot 350B is designed to work with any suitable section of a left side of a vehicle door frame, such as to accommodate a sealing strip flange on the left side of a vehicle. The main body 320 further comprises a right magnet 360A under a right cover 370A and a left magnet 360B under a left cover 370B. The right magnet 360A is designed to interact with a right door when the device 310 is attached to a right-hand vehicle door frame. The left magnet 360B is designed to interact with a left door when the device 310 is attached to a left-hand vehicle door frame. When the device 310 is attached to the right-hand vehicle door frame, the interaction between the right magnet 360A and the right door holds the right door partially closed, allows the right door to be opened if necessary during painting, and prevents the right door from closing completely, which could damage the paint applied to the door and / or door frame.When the device is hooked onto the left vehicle door frame, the interaction between the left magnet 360B and the left door keeps the left door partially closed, allows the left door to be opened if necessary during painting, and prevents the left door from closing completely, which could damage the paint applied to the door and / or door frame.

Claims

Door holding device (10), comprising: a base (20) defining a hook designed to interact with a door (110) or door frame (210) of a vehicle; and a magnet (40) attached to the base (20), wherein the magnet (40) is designed to interact with the door (110) or the door frame (210) with which the door holding device (10) does not interact via the hook, wherein the door holding device (10) is designed to hook onto the door (110) or the door frame (210) of the vehicle in order to position the door holding device (10) between the door (110) and the door frame (210), wherein the magnet (40) in a partially closed door position is designed to connect with the door frame (210) or the door (110) in order to hold the door (110) relative to the door frame (210) and to prevent the door (110) from closing completely;characterized in that the door holding device (10) is designed to engage a section of the door (110) defining an opening (120) which is designed to allow access to a door lock, wherein a gap (80) defined between the base (20) and a tab (70) is designed to accommodate the section of the door (110) defining the opening (120); or that a gap (80) defined between the base (20) and a tab (70) is designed to accommodate a section of the door (110) defining an opening (120), and the tab (70) comprises a raised surface (74) at a distal end (72) thereof. Door holding device (10) according to claim 1, wherein the tab (70) extends beyond a distal end (26) of the base (20) and is designed to sit in the opening (120) when the door holding device (10) is hooked onto the door (110). Door holding device (10) according to claim 1, which further comprises a cover (50) over the magnet (40). Door holding device (10) according to claim 3, wherein the cover (50) consists of a polymeric material. Door holding device (10) according to claim 3, wherein the cover (50) is attached to the base (20) by means of a fastening element (60). Door holding device (10) according to claim 5, wherein the base (20) defines a recess designed to interact with the fastening element (60). Door holding device (10) according to claim 5, wherein the fastening element (60) is a rivet.

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