System for checking a hinge for an opening leaf of a motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a system (10) for checking a hinge (1) for an opening leaf of a motor vehicle, the hinge (1) comprising a fixed knuckle (3) configured to be attached to a vehicle and a movable knuckle (5) which is configured to be attached to a vehicle opening leaf and which comprises a centring pin (9), the fixed (3) and movable (5) knuckles being connected by a pivot joint (6), the system (10) comprising a checking device (12) which comprises: - a receiving plane (14) configured to have the fixed knuckle (5) of the hinge (1) attached thereto; - a movable carriage (16) comprising an attachment plane (18) configured to have the movable knuckle (5) attached thereto; the carriage (16) having a first position for checking a first angular position of the movable knuckle (5) and a second position for checking a second angular position of the movable knuckle (5).

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] Title of the invention: CONTROL SYSTEM FOR A HINGE ON A MOTOR VEHICLE DOOR

[0003] [1] The present invention claims priority from French application 2503998 filed on April 15, 2025, the content of which (text, drawings, and claims) is incorporated herein by reference. The present invention relates to the general field of systems or devices for verifying a component of a motor vehicle. The present invention relates more particularly to the inspection of a hinge of a motor vehicle opening and to a system for performing this type of inspection.

[0004] [2] Typically, motor vehicles include openings closed by means of openings, such as doors, tailgate, etc., and these openings are thus fixed to the body of the vehicle by means of suitable hinges.

[0005] [3] Thus, the hinges are delivered by the suppliers to the place of production before being assembled on the bodies of the motor vehicles.

[0006] [4] Hinge suppliers generally carry out three-dimensional checks, such as unit measurements of hinge components and also of the assembled hinge, but these are not sufficiently accurate compared to the methods of assembling a hinge on a motor vehicle body, as they do not correspond to the actual physical conditions in which the hinges are used.

[0007] [5] The hinges thus supplied may have random opening angles, imperfections in alignment and / or flatness, etc., resulting in openings which, once fixed by means of the hinges, are poorly aligned, have sealing problems, problems of perceived quality for the vehicle user, etc.

[0008] [6] It is therefore necessary to find a technical solution enabling control of the correct manufacture and operation of hinges before they are fitted to motor vehicles, controls which can be systematic or carried out by a sampling method[7] The present invention thus proposes to remedy at least one of the aforementioned drawbacks by proposing a new type of control system for a hinge for a motor vehicle opening, said hinge comprising a first hinge pin, called the fixed hinge pin, configured to be fixed to a vehicle body and a second hinge pin, called the movable hinge pin, which is configured to be fixed to a vehicle opening and which includes a centering pin, the fixed and movable hinge pins being connected to each other by a pivot joint,

[0009] said system includes a control device comprising:

[0010] - a reception area configured to fix the fixed hinge pin;

[0011] - a mobile carriage which includes a fixing plane configured to fix the mobile hinge pin to it;

[0012] the mobile carriage having a first position to control a first angular reference position of the mobile hinge and a second position to control a second angular reference position of the mobile hinge.

[0013] [8] The system according to the invention thus allows, after fixing a hinge on the device, the hinge to be positioned according to two predefined positions, for example angular positions of the movable hinge relative to the fixed hinge, angular positions corresponding for example to the closed and open position of a door mounted on a motor vehicle body by means of said hinges, which thus allow control of different characteristic quantities of a hinge, such as different positions in space of one or more elements of the hinge.

[0014] [9] It should be noted that the carriage is configured to ensure a predefined angle between the fixed and mobile hinges in the second reference angular position, for example an angle of 80°, and thus to be able to control deviations between an expected position and an actual position of the hinge and / or its elements.

[0015]

[0010] The system according to the invention is robust and allows for repeated checks on the same hinge or for rapid checks to be carried out on several hinges, reliably, in order to eliminate hinges that do not meet the required conditions of use, thus reducing the costs of defects resulting from unsuitable hinges fitted to a vehicle.

[0011] The system also makes it possible to simplify and make more precise the hinge inspection operations, to reduce the time spent on inspections and to adapt to different types of hinges, therefore being usable for different vehicles with different hinges.

[0016]

[0012] According to one possible feature, said device is configured so that the fixing between the receiving plane and the fixed hinge has a degree of freedom in rotation about an axis substantially orthogonal to the main extension plane of said receiving plane.

[0017]

[0013] The fact that once the fixed hinge is attached to the receiving surface has a degree of freedom in rotation, for example along a substantially vertical axis, allows, when attaching the mobile hinge to the mobile carriage, the hinge to be positioned isostatically, thus improving the repeatability and reliability of the hinge control operations.

[0018]

[0014] It should also be noted that the movement (for example in translation) of the entire hinge allows it to position itself without constraints (rotation of the fixed hinge around its centering pin and pressing of the mobile hinge onto the inclined fixing plane), and allows for repeatable control of the hinges.

[0019]

[0015] According to another possible feature, said system includes a centering check template for a centering pin of the movable hinge.

[0020]

[0016] It is common for the hinges to be inspected to have one or more centering pins, that is, protrusions allowing certain elements of the hinge to be positioned relative to the vehicle body and / or the opening before the hinge is secured to one or the other of these elements. The hinge includes, for example, a centering pin located on the moving hinge pin and / or a centering pin on the fixed hinge pin.

[0021]

[0017] Thus, the position in space of a centering pin is a good reference point to check to verify that a hinge meets the requirements for correct mounting of the opening on the vehicle body. The verification template allows for quick verification of the correct positioning of the centering pin, and therefore, by extension, of the hinge.

[0018] According to another possible feature, said device includes a displacement stop, referred to as the first stop, configured to control the first position of the movable carriage and / or position the movable carriage in the second position.

[0022]

[0019] Advantageously, the first stop is configured to allow control of the first position of the carriage and / or the correct positioning of the mobile carriage in a second angular reference position, in order to allow control of said hinge in the open position.

[0023]

[0020] According to another possible feature, the first stop is removable.

[0024]

[0021] The first stop is advantageously removable to facilitate the positioning of the carriage in a first position and by extension that of the hinge.

[0025]

[0022] According to another possible feature, the reception plane includes fixing structures configured so that a fixed hinge is fixed thereto, said fixing structures having two sets of substructures having a specular symmetry with respect to each other.

[0026]

[0023] Thus, the receiving plane of the device to which a fixed pin of a hinge is to be attached has fixing structures, such as openings, pins, screws, etc., which are distributed in two sets of substructures or elements whose arrangement has a mirror image symmetry (or specular symmetry), so that the device can control hinges to be mounted on one side or the other of a motor vehicle (i.e., on the right or left side of the vehicle).

[0027]

[0024] According to another possible feature, said carriage includes an angle stop (or angular stop) configured to position the movable hinge according to the second angular position.

[0028]

[0025] Advantageously, the angle stop facilitates the positioning of the movable hinge according to the second angular position, said angle stop being made by means of a separate stop located on the movable carriage, in order to facilitate measurements of physical quantities enabling control of said hinge.

[0029]

[0026] According to another possible feature, the angle stop is removable.

[0027] The angle stop is advantageously removable to allow the passage of inspection tools, such as shims, gauges, etc. Generally, an inspection tool is dedicated to checking a specific hinge (shape, position, fastening).

[0030]

[0028] According to another possible feature, said device includes a linear guide, said carriage being mounted on said linear guide.

[0031]

[0029] The mobile carriage is thus advantageously mounted movably on a surface of the device by means of a linear guide, for example ball bearings, in order to simplify and constrain the possible positions of the mobile carriage, in particular when there is control of said angular positions of a hinge.

[0032]

[0030] According to another possible feature, the device includes a displacement stop, called a second stop, configured to block the movement of said mobile carriage.

[0033]

[0031] Advantageously, the device includes a second stop located at one end of the linear guide, so that the moving carriage cannot detach from said linear guide.

[0034]

[0032] According to another possible feature, said device includes reference pins.

[0035]

[0033] The reference pins, for example three in number, are advantageously spheres allowing a 3D detection system and / or a probing system to have reference points to evaluate the position in space of a hinge mounted on the system according to the invention.

[0036]

[0034] According to another possible feature, the carriage mounting plane includes an opening configured to allow the passage of a probing system.

[0037]

[0035] According to another possible feature, said device also includes fastening elements configured to fix said device to a support.

[0038]

[0036] Said device is advantageously transportable, and includes fixing elements configured to fix the device to a support, such as a plane, a marble, etc., in order to be able to carry out the various checks of a hinge under the best possible conditions (limit untimely movements when fixing elements together, ensure flatness, etc.).

[0039]

[0037] The invention will be better understood, and other objects, details, features and advantages thereof will become more apparent from the following description of a particular embodiment of the invention, given solely by way of illustration and not limitation, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0040] - Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate schematic views, in three-quarter and bottom perspective respectively, of a hinge from the earlier art;

[0041] - [Fig. 3] and [Fig. 4] illustrate schematic and perspective three-quarter and top views of a hinge control system according to the invention, such as a hinge illustrated in [Fig. 1] and [Fig. 2];

[0042] - [Fig. 5] is a very schematic and side view of the system of [Fig. 3] and [Fig. 4];

[0043] - Figures [Fig. 6] and [Fig. 7] illustrate schematic, perspective, enlarged and partial views of the system from [Fig. 3] to [Fig. 5],

[0044]

[0038] In the following description, the term "include" is synonymous with "include" and is not limiting in that it permits the presence of other elements in the vehicle, or the structure to which it relates. It is understood that the term "include" includes the terms "consist of". Furthermore, it should be noted that in the various figures, the same reference numerals designate identical or similar elements.

[0045]

[0039] In this application, it should be noted that "substantially parallel" means a direction deviating by no more than 20°, or even by no more than 10° or 5°, from a parallel direction. It should also be noted that "substantially orthogonal" means a direction deviating by no more than 20°, or even by no more than 10° or 5°, from an angle of 0°.

[0046]

[0040] Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 illustrate schematic views, in three-quarter perspective and from below respectively, of a prior art hinge 1 for a motor vehicle opening.

[0047]

[0041] Said hinge 1 comprises a first hinge 3, called fixed hinge, intended to be fixed to a body of a motor vehicle (not shown), and a second hinge 5, called movable hinge, which is configured to be fixed to a vehicle opening (not shown).

[0048]

[0042] The fixed hinge 3 and mobile hinge 5 are connected to each other by a pivot joint 6 having an axis A, the mobile hinge 5 therefore being able to pivot around the axis A of said pivot joint 6.

[0049]

[0043] It should be noted that the designation "fixed hinge" and "mobile hinge" relates to the fact that once mounted on a vehicle, the fixed hinge 3 is fixed isostatically to the body of the vehicle, while the mobile hinge 5 can perform a rotational movement around the axis A of the pivot joint 6, thus allowing the mobile hinge 5 to move from a first angular position to a second angular position, positions corresponding respectively to the opening and closing of said opening (fixed to the mobile hinge 5).

[0050]

[0044] Furthermore, the hinge 1 may include centering pins or indexing fingers, for example a first pin 7 located on the fixed hinge 3 and / or a second pin 9 located on the movable hinge 5. These centering pins 7 and 9 thus allow the hinge 3 or 5 to be centered or indexed with respect to the area or element to which the hinge 3 or 5 is fixed, for example a docking area provided on the vehicle body for the fixed hinge 3 or on the vehicle opening for the movable hinge 5.

[0051]

[0045] The centering pins 7 and 9 are generally protrusions or projections intended to cooperate with a centering hole provided on the element to which the fixed hinge 3 or mobile hinge 5 is to be attached.

[0052]

[0046] The fixed 3 and movable 5 hinges of the hinge 1 further comprise fixing holes and one or more fixing elements respectively 3a and 5a, such as screws, nuts, bolts, etc., by means of which the hinges 3 and 5 are secured respectively to a vehicle body or to a vehicle opening.

[0053]

[0047] The fastening elements 3a or 5a are thus configured to pass through the fastening holes provided in the hinge 3 or 5 to cooperate with a fastening hole provided in the vehicle body or in the vehicle opening, and thus secure the fixed hinge 3 to a vehicle body and the movable hinge 5 to a vehicle opening.

[0048] Fig. 3 illustrates, for its part, a schematic view of a system 10 according to the invention which is intended for controlling a hinge for a motor vehicle opening, such as the hinge 1 shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2.

[0054]

[0049] By convention, an orthogonal XYZ coordinate system comprising three axes perpendicular in pairs is defined with respect to the system 10 below in its assembled and operational configuration, namely:

[0055] - an X-axis, defining a horizontal longitudinal direction, parallel to the ground; - a Y-axis, defining a horizontal transverse direction, also parallel to the ground, which, together with the X-axis, defines a horizontal XY plane; and

[0056] - a Z axis, defining a vertical direction, perpendicular to the ground and to the horizontal XY plane.

[0057]

[0050] Said system 10 thus comprises a control device 12 which includes:

[0058] - a receiving plane 14 configured to fix the fixed hinge 3 of the hinge 1; - a mobile carriage 16 which includes a fixing plane 18 configured to fix the mobile hinge 5 of the hinge 1.

[0059]

[0051] The device 12 further comprises a main body 19, for example of substantially parallelepiped or rectangular block shape, which is advantageously made of stone, such as marble, or of metal.

[0060]

[0052] The main body 19 of the device further comprises:

[0061] - fastening elements 21 configured to fix said device 12 to a support, such as a plane, a table, a marble slab, etc., and preferably to a support having a plane which extends substantially in a horizontal plane (XY plane), said fastening elements 21 being for example screws, clamps, bolts, flanges, magnets, etc.;

[0062] - reference pins 23, for example three of them, which are advantageously spheres allowing a 3D detection system and / or a probing system to have reference points to evaluate / determine the position in space of the hinge 1 mounted on the device 12.

[0063]

[0053] Said device 12 is thus advantageously transportable and can be fixed to different types of support before being used in the context of controlling one or more hinges 1.

[0054] In addition, the main body 19 has two planes located at different heights:

[0064] - a first medium plane 19a in which are located the mobile carriage 16, the fixing elements 21, and the reference pins 23;

[0065] - a second plan corresponding to the reception plan 14 which is located above the first plan 19a, the reception plan 14 thus corresponding to the upper face of an elevation 20 of the main body 19.

[0066]

[0055] The reception plane 14 and the first plane 19a each extend substantially in a horizontal plane (or XY plane), said planes 14 and 19a being substantially parallel to each other.

[0067]

[0056] In addition, reception plan 14 includes:

[0068] - fixing structures 14a configured so that the fixed hinge 3 is fixed to them, said fixing structures 14a including for example fixing holes; - a centering hole (not visible) configured, when the fixed hinge 3 is fixed to the receiving plane 14, to accommodate the centering pin 7 located on the fixed hinge 3.

[0069]

[0057] Said fixing structures 14a advantageously have two sets of substructures or fixing orifices having a specular symmetry with respect to each other, that is to say that the sets of substructures are arranged or fitted to have a mirror symmetry with respect to each other (symmetry with respect to an axis parallel to the X axis).

[0070]

[0058] Thus, the fixed hinge 3 is fixed to said receiving surface 14 of the device 12 by means of fixing element 3a passing through the fixing holes provided in the fixed hinge 3 and the fixing structures 14a of the receiving surface 14, the cooperation of these elements making it possible to secure the fixed hinge 3 to the receiving surface 14.

[0071]

[0059] However, said device 12 is advantageously configured so that the fixing between reception plane 14 and fixed hinge 3 has a degree of freedom in rotation about an axis substantially orthogonal to the main extension plane of said reception plane 14 (corresponding substantially to the Z axis).

[0072]

[0060] The device 12 further includes a linear guide 25, for example ball bearing, located at the level of the first plane 19a, said carriage 16 being mounted on said linear guide 25 and allowing translational movement of the carriage 16 along the linear guide 25.

[0073]

[0061] Said linear guide 25 thus has two opposite ends, referred to respectively as the first and second ends. The first end of the linear guide 25 is thus located opposite the raised section 20, the upper face of which corresponds to the receiving surface 14.

[0074]

[0062] The device 12 further includes a displacement stop 27, called the first stop, to control the movable carriage 16 when said carriage 16 is in a first position and / or to position said carriage 16 in a second position, as well as another displacement stop 29, called the second stop, located opposite the second end of the linear guide 25, the second stop 29 being configured to block the carriage 16 and prevent it from detaching from the linear guide 25.

[0075]

[0063] It should be noted that the first stop 27 is advantageously removable, among other things to facilitate the control operations to be carried out on the hinge 1. The first stop 27 is for example a part configured to be fixed to the device 12, in particular at the level of the elevation 20. Thus, the first stop 27 is preferably removed when positioning the hinge 1, so that said hinge 1 can be positioned in the best possible isostatic point of view, the carriage 16 thus being free of its translational movement during this operation.

[0076]

[0064] In addition, the second stop 29 is advantageously removable, or demountable, in order in particular to allow the carriage 16 to slide out of the linear guide 25. The second stop 29 is for example a cylinder, metallic or plastic, configured to be fixed on the first plane 19 opposite the second end of the linear guide 25.

[0077]

[0065] The mounting plan 18 of the trolley 16 includes:

[0078] - one or more fixing structures (not visible) configured so that the movable hinge 5 is fixed to them, said fixing structures including for example at least one fixing hole;

[0079] - a centering orifice (not visible) configured, when the movable hinge 5 is fixed to the fixing plane 18, to accommodate the centering pin 9 located on the movable hinge 5; - an opening or several openings 18a configured to allow the passage of a probing system, for example located on one of the lateral edges of said fixing plane 18;

[0080] - a hinge centering pin reception opening 18b, said opening 18b being configured, when the movable hinge 5 is fixed to the fixing plane 18, so that the centering pin 9 extends, preferably in a centered manner, through the opening 18b.

[0081]

[0066] As is more particularly illustrated in [Fig. 5], the carriage 16 further includes an angle stop 31 configured, when the carriage 16 is positioned in a second position, to position the movable hinge 5 in a second angular position.

[0082]

[0067] The angle stop 31 is advantageously removable, it not being present for example on [Fig. 3] and [Fig. 4], Said angle stop 31 is for example a pin which is configured to be fixed in an opening provided on the upper part of the carriage 16.

[0083]

[0068] As is more particularly illustrated in [Fig. 6] and [Fig. 7], said system 10 advantageously includes a verification template 32 for centering the centering pin 9 of the movable hinge 5.

[0084]

[0069] The centering template 32 is advantageously a flat metal or plastic piece with reference distances allowing it to be determined whether the centering pin 9 is correctly positioned when the fixed hinges 3 and mobile hinges 5 are fixed respectively to the receiving surface 14 and the carriage 16 (more particularly to the fixing surface 18), and when the centering pin 9 extends through the receiving opening 18b of the fixing surface 18.

[0085]

[0070] The opening or housing 18b which surrounds the centering pin 9 of the movable hinge 5 therefore allows, on the one hand, the passage of a probe (or probing system) to check the position in space of said pin 9, and on the other hand, to allow the passage of the verification template 32 or shims for a quick check (or measurement) of said hinge 1.

[0086]

[0071] It should be noted that the system 1 according to the invention can include several gauges 32 or shims having different dimensions, in order to quickly assess reference distances. For example, when the centering pin 9 is assumed to be located 5 mm from the side walls defining the housing 18b, the system 1 then includes gauges or shims having dimensions of 5.1 mm, 4.9 mm, 4.7 mm, etc.

[0087]

[0072] The system according to the invention thus makes it possible, after fixing the hinge 1 on the device, to control among other things, the position in space, of the plane of the mobile hinge 5 (plane cooperating with the fixing plane 18) and of its centering pin 9.

[0088]

[0073] Indeed, if the geometry of the hinge 1 is defective, then when fixing the fixed hinge 3 or the movable hinge 5, the carriage 16 can move along the axis defined by the linear guide 25 (the X axis here), and the position of the movable hinge 5 is then not the expected reference position, which can be verified by means of probing systems, templates, shims, etc.

[0089]

[0074] Thus, when the system 10 according to the invention is used to control a hinge 1, there is a prior step of fixing the device 12 onto a suitable support, such as the surface plate of a three-dimensional machine.

[0090]

[0075] Then, fixing of fixed hinge 3 on the receiving plane 14, the fixing being carried out among other ways by means of the fixing elements 3a, in order to press the fixed hinge 3 against the receiving plane 14, while leaving a degree of freedom of rotation around a vertical (or Z axis) said fixed hinge 3.

[0091]

[0076] The carriage 16 is then translated towards the movable hinge 5 until the fixing plane 18 comes into contact with the movable hinge 5, positioning the movable hinge 5 in a position substantially in a first angular position, for example by presenting a direct angle of 10° with the vertical (or the Z axis).

[0092]

[0077] The movable hinge 5 is then fixed to the said fixing plane 18, among other things by means of the fixing elements 5a, during the fixing (or tightening of the fixing elements) of the movable hinge 5 and the movable hinge 5 is brought into contact with the fixing plane 18, the fixed hinge 3 pivots around the vertical axis (or Z axis).

[0093]

[0078] It should be noted that during this operation the carriage 16 can move in translation along the linear guide 25, the hinge 1 thus positioning itself isostatically.

[0079] It should be noted that the first stop 27 is removed during the positioning of the hinge 1, so that said hinge 1 can be positioned as best as possible from an isostatic point of view, the carriage 16 thus being free of its translational movement during this operation.

[0094]

[0080] In this state, there is then control of the first angular position of the movable hinge 5, as well as additional positioning checks in space of the centering pin 9 using the verification template 32, checks which must for example correspond to predetermined values ​​with or without respect of dimensional tolerances.

[0095]

[0081] For the second angular control, the movable hinge 5 is free and positioned in a second angular position, for example at a direct angle of 80° with the vertical.

[0096]

[0082] Then, the carriage 16 is positioned in a second position which can be identical to the first position, equipped with the angle stop 31, and the movable hinge 5 pivots from top to bottom until the movable hinge 5 comes into contact with the angle stop 31.

[0097]

[0083] There is then control of the position in space of the movable hinge 5, as well as controls of the position in space of the centering pin 9, allowing verification that the position of the axis A of rotation of the pivot joint 6 of the hinge 1 does not have defects.

Claims

Demands

1. System (10) for controlling a hinge (1) for a motor vehicle opening, said hinge (1) comprising a first hinge (3), referred to as the fixed hinge, configured to be fixed to a vehicle body and a second hinge (5), referred to as the movable hinge, which is configured to be fixed to a vehicle opening and which includes a centering pin (9), the fixed (3) and movable (5) hinges being connected to each other by a pivot link (6), said system (10) comprising a control device (12) which includes: - a reception surface (14) configured to fix the fixed hinge (5) of the hinge (1); - a mobile carriage (16) which includes a fixing plane (18) configured to fix the mobile pin (5) of the hinge (1); the mobile carriage (16) having a first position to control a first angular position of the mobile hinge (5) and a second position to control a second angular position of the mobile hinge (5).

2. System (10) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said device (12) is configured so that the fixing between the receiving plane (14) and the fixed hinge (5) has a degree of freedom in rotation about an axis substantially orthogonal to the principal extension plane of said receiving plane (14).

3. A system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said system (10) comprises a gauge (32) for verifying the centering of the centering pin (9) of the movable hinge (5).

4. A system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said device (12) comprises a displacement stop (27), referred to as the first stop, configured to control the first position of the movable carriage (16) and / or position the movable carriage (16) in the second position.

5. System (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the receiving plane (14) comprises fixing structures (14a) configured so that a fixed hinge (5) is fixed thereto, said fixing structures (14a) having two sets of substructures having a specular symmetry with respect to each other.

6. System (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said carriage (16) comprises an angle stop (31) configured to position the movable hinge (5) according to the second angular position.

7. System (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said device (12) comprises a linear guide (25), said carriage (16) being mounted on said linear guide (25). [Claims] System (10) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the device (12) comprises a displacement stop (29), referred to as the second stop, configured to block the movement of said mobile carriage (16).

9. System (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said device (12) comprises reference pins (23).

10. System (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mounting surface (18) of the carriage (16) comprises an opening (18b) configured to allow the passage of a probing system, j

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