Jig for mounting a hinge on a motor vehicle door

Abstract

The invention relates to a jig (1) for mounting a hinge on a vehicle door, the jig comprising a frame (2) which comprises a cavity for accommodating a hinge, the frame (2) being provided with bearing means for resting the jig (1) against the door, the jig (1) comprising control means (7) for controlling a plurality of separate geometric referencing configurations on the door when the bearing means are supported by the door, the control means (7) having a plurality of movable pins (8a, 8b) each having an active position, in which the pin (8a) is activated for referencing, and at least one standby position, in which the pin (8b) is disabled for referencing, wherein the control means (7) move the pins (8a, 8b) between their active and standby positions in order to form a predetermined configuration.

Description

Description Title of the invention: Mounting template for a motor vehicle door hinge

[0001] The present invention claims priority from French application 2302392 filed on March 15, 2023, the content of which (text, drawings and claims) is incorporated herein by reference. The technical field relates to jigs for mounting motor vehicle door hinges as well as methods for mounting at least one hinge using such a jig.

[0002] It is increasingly common for a motor vehicle to be offered to customers in several different versions, including various body styles. Each style generally has its own specific features that imply structural differences between each style, particularly in the bodywork elements attached to the chassis. This is the case, for example, with the doors and the hinges that connect them.

[0003] On automotive assembly lines, hinges are positioned on doors using positioning tools that allow an operator or robot to identify a specific area on a door for precise hinge positioning. Using a positioning tool saves time when mounting a hinge on a door, while ensuring accurate and repeatable assembly.

[0004] Due to the different door shapes available, a specific tool is usually required for each specific type of door. Therefore, an assembly line has as many tools as there are models to be assembled on the line.

[0005] These various positioning tools are generally stored near the assembly lines, in order to allow them to be quickly made available depending on the silhouettes produced. However, the areas located near the assembly lines are particularly congested.

[0006] Thus, the diversity of silhouettes necessarily leads to an increase in development and production costs, in particular because of the diversity of specific tools required, as well as an increase in the complexity of managing assembly lines and assembling the different versions of the vehicle.

[0007] Thus, there is a need to reduce the diversity of tools required for vehicle assembly.

[0008] The present invention aims to overcome the problems set out above. In this technical context, one aim of the present invention is to provide a template that can be used for mounting hinges on several different versions of doors.

[0009] To this end, the present invention relates to a jig for mounting a hinge on a door of a motor vehicle, the jig comprising a frame comprising at least one housing designed to accommodate at least one door hinge, the frame supporting support means designed to position the jig in support on a door of a motor vehicle, the jig further comprising control means designed to allow a plurality of distinct configurations, each allowing a distinct geometrical referencing of the jig on the door when the support means are in support on the door, the control means having a plurality of movable control pins, each having a control position, in which the pin allows a predetermined referencing of the jig, and at least one waiting position, in which the pin is rendered unusable for referencing the jig,the control means for moving the control pins between their control and standby positions to form a predetermined configuration.,

[0010] The invention also relates to a method for mounting a hinge on a door of a motor vehicle, the method using a template according to the invention, the method comprising a step consisting of implementing the control means to select a predetermined geometric reference configuration, before positioning the template resting on the door of the vehicle.

[0011] Thus, the jig according to the invention makes it possible to assemble at least one hinge on a door having several different versions. Indeed, thanks to the different distinct configurations, the jig can be adapted to the version of the door being assembled by choosing the appropriate configuration. The use of a plurality of control pins makes it possible to produce the different configurations in a simple manner. Thus, the jig according to the invention allows the implementation of the method according to the invention which makes it possible to reduce the number of jigs required for an assembly line of a family of vehicles. A single jig according to the invention easily replaces several tools, each corresponding to a configuration of the jig. The jig according to the invention therefore makes it possible to free up storage space around an assembly line.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the invention, each control pin, in its control position, makes it possible to define a distinct configuration of the template.

[0013] According to one possibility, when a pilot pawn is in piloting position, the other pilot pawns are in a waiting position.

[0014] In one embodiment, moving a control pawn involves moving all control pawns.

[0015] According to one possibility, the control means comprise a mobile plate on which the control pins are fixed.

[0016] Advantageously, the movement of at least one control pin is obtained by rotating the plate.

[0017] In one embodiment, the template comprises locking means designed to block the rotation of the plate. Thus, the plate is not likely to rotate during the implementation of the method according to the invention.

[0018] Alternatively, each piloting pawn is associated with a distinct colored ring. This allows the operator to easily identify which pawn is in the piloting position.

[0019] The invention will be better understood upon reading the detailed description which follows, given solely as a non-limiting example and made with reference to the appended drawings in which:

[0020] [Fig. 1] Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a mounting template according to the invention;

[0021] [Fig. 2] Figure 2 represents a detailed view of the template of Figure 1, showing a plate on which control pins are fixed.

[0022] In these figures, the same references are used to designate the same elements.

[0023] A mounting template 1 according to the invention, illustrated in Figure 1, makes it possible to mount a hinge on a door of a motor vehicle, not illustrated.

[0024] As illustrated in Figure 1, the template 1 according to the invention comprises a frame 2 which comprises at least one housing 3 designed to accommodate at least one door hinge, not illustrated. In the example described, the frame 2 is presented in the form of a substantially flat openwork plate 4, the openings defining the housing(s) 3. The frame 2 supports support means 5 designed to position the template 1 in support on a door of a motor vehicle. In the example illustrated in the figures, the support means 5 have the form of at least one lug 6 arranged perpendicular to the plate 4 and sized to come to bear, for example, on one side of the door.

[0025] The template 1 further comprises control means 7 designed to allow a plurality of distinct configurations, each allowing a distinct geometric referencing of the template 1 on the door, when the support means 5 are supported on the door. Each configuration is defined to correspond, for example, to a distinct variant of door.

[0026] As illustrated in Figure 2, the control means 7 have a plurality of movable control pins 8a, 8b, each having a control position and at least one waiting position. In the control position, the pin 8a allows a predetermined referencing of the template 1, while in a waiting position, the pin 8b is rendered unusable for referencing the template 1. In the example illustrated in Figure 2, the pin 8a which is in the control position is the one which extends along an axis parallel to the lug 6 and on the same side of the plate 4.

[0027] Each control pin 8a, 8b, in its control position, makes it possible to define a distinct configuration of the template 1. For example, each pin 8a, 8b is different from the others. In the example illustrated in the figure, the pins 8a, 8b are fixed on a support 9 attached to a plate 10 of the control means 7. The support 9 and the pin 8a, 8b extend from the plate 10 towards a free end 11 of the pin 8a, 8b. The plate 10 has a square shape and is mounted to move relative to the frame 2, around an axis of rotation AR, illustrated in Figure 2. In the example illustrated in Figure 2, a single support 9 is fixed on each side of the plate 10. Each support 9 is different so that the free end 11 of each pin 8a, 8b is located at a distance D from a central axis of the frame 2, illustrated in Figure 2, which is specific to it.

[0028] In the template 1, the control means 7 are designed to allow the control pins 8a, 8b to be moved between their control and waiting positions, to form a predetermined configuration. Thus the configuration of the template 1 is chosen to correspond to the variant of the door on which a hinge is to be installed. Rotating the plate 10 thus makes it possible to obtain a movement of at least one control pin 8a, 8b, in this case the four pins 8a, 8b.

[0029] In the template 1 according to the invention, when a piloting pin 8a is in the piloting position, the other piloting pins 8b are in a waiting position. Advantageously, the movement of a piloting pin 8a, 8b involves the movement of all the piloting pins 8a, 8b.

[0030] Advantageously, the template 1 includes locking means, not illustrated, designed to lock the rotation of the plate 10. Thus, once a configuration has been chosen, the template 1 can be implemented without risk of the configuration being modified.

[0031] In order to mount a hinge on a door of a motor vehicle, the template 1 is used to implement a method according to the invention. The method consists of placing one or more hinges on the template 1, in one or more housings 3. Furthermore, depending on the variant of the vehicle, the operator chooses the configuration of the template 1 and implements the control means 7 to select a suitable geometric reference configuration. To do this, the operator maneuvers the plate 10 as needed. The choice of configuration can be facilitated by the fact that each control pin 8a, 8b is associated with a separate colored ring 12. Then the template 1 is positioned on the door so that the support means 5 are in support of the door and the control pin 8a which is in the control position can be inserted into a reference hole provided in the door.Once these steps have been completed, the hinge is screwed onto the door and then template 1 is removed and stored at the edge of the assembly line.

[0032] In order to facilitate the handling of the template 1, the latter has, for example, a handling handle 13 projecting from the frame 2, on the side opposite the lug 6.

[0033] Thus, the jig 1 according to the invention, thanks to the plurality of control pins 8a, 8b, offers several configurations which each correspond to a conventional tool normally used. The jig 1 according to the invention therefore makes it possible to reduce the number of tools required on the edges of an assembly line.

[0034] The invention is not limited to the embodiment of the mounting jig described above, only by way of example, but other embodiments can be designed by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and scope of the present invention.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. Jig (1) for mounting a hinge on a door of a motor vehicle, the jig (1) comprising a frame (2) comprising at least one housing (3) designed to accommodate at least one door hinge, the frame (2) supporting support means (5) designed to position the jig (1) in abutment on a door of a motor vehicle, the jig (1) further comprising control means (7) designed to allow a plurality of distinct configurations, each allowing a distinct geometrical referencing of the jig (1) on the door when the support means (5) are in abutment on the door, the control means (7) having a plurality of movable control pins (8a, 8b), each having a control position, in which the pin (a) allows a predetermined referencing of the jig (1), and at least one waiting position, in which the pin (8b) is rendered unusable for referencing the jig (1),the control means (7) making it possible to move the control pins (a, 8b) between their control and waiting positions to form a predetermined configuration., 2. Template (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that each control pin (8a), in its control position, makes it possible to define a distinct configuration of the template (1).

3. Template (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, when a piloting pin (8a) is in the piloting position, the other piloting pins (8b) are in a waiting position.

4. Template (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the movement of a control pin (8a, 8b) involves the movement of all the control pins (8a, 8b).

5. Template (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the control means (7) comprise a movable plate (10) on which the control pins (8a, 8b) are fixed.

6. Template (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that the movement of at least one control pin (8a, 8b) is obtained by rotating the plate (10).

7. Template (1) according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the template (1) comprises locking means designed to lock the rotation of the plate (10).

8. Template (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that each control pin (8a, 8b) is associated with a separate colored ring (12).

9. Method for mounting a hinge on a door of a motor vehicle, the method using a template (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8, the method comprising a step consisting of implementing the control means (7) to select a predetermined geometric reference configuration, before positioning the template (1) resting on the door of the vehicle.

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