Hinge Clip for Vehicle Door Electro-Coating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for holding vehicle doors open during electro-coating and painting are either ineffective, costly, or complicate the manufacturing process, leading to potential damage and paint quality issues.
Innovation Solution
A clip is bolted to the hinge pin of a vehicle door, featuring a ramp surface and receiver area to securely hold the door open, allowing it to be easily installed and removed without adding labor or cost, and designed to withstand the electro-coating process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If temporary clips or tools are used to hold the door open, then the door can be kept open during electro-coating and painting, but the manufacturing process becomes more complicated and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The clip is merged with the hinge assembly by attaching it to the hinge pin, combining the door holding function with the existing hinge structure. This integration eliminates the need for separate temporary tools while maintaining the door open position during electro-coating and painting operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The clip serves multiple functions: it holds the door open during electro-coating, positioning, and painting operations. The same clip structure is used across different manufacturing stages, replacing multiple specialized tools with a single multi-functional component that simplifies the overall manufacturing process.
2Reliability
If door checks are installed before electro-coating and painting, then the door can be held open, but paint quality problems occur and proper operation is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The door holding function is segmented from the permanent door check mechanism. The clip provides temporary door positioning during electro-coating and painting, while the actual door check remains uninstalled to ensure proper paint quality and future operational functionality. This segmentation allows each component to serve its specific purpose without interference.
Solution Approach 2:
The clip is installed preliminarily before electro-coating and painting to hold the door open, then removed after these operations are complete. This preliminary action allows the door to be positioned correctly during critical coating operations without permanently altering the door assembly or affecting paint quality.
3Manufacturing precision
If a clip is designed to securely hold the door open, then complete paint coverage is ensured, but the clip design becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The essential door-holding function is extracted from a complex mechanism and implemented through a simple clip structure attached to the hinge pin. The clip uses basic geometric features (ramp surface, receiver area, peripheral lip) to achieve secure door positioning without requiring complex mechanical systems, ensuring complete paint coverage while maintaining design simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The clip concentrates its structural complexity only where needed - the ramp surface and receiver area at the door engagement point - while keeping the rest of the structure simple. This localized quality approach ensures secure door holding for complete paint coverage without unnecessarily complicating the overall clip design or manufacturing process.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The clip effectively keeps the door open during electro-coating and painting, ensuring complete coverage and preventing damage, while being simple to integrate into the manufacturing process without additional costs or complexity.
Implementation Method 1
A substantial force of approximately 10 Newtons is required to release the stop from the receiver.
Implementation Method 2
The stop moves up the ramp until the stop is received in the receiver portion of the clip. The clip flexes axially as the stop moves across the ramp and then returns when the stop is received in the receiver.
Implementation Method 3
A peripheral lip may be provided at least partially about the periphery of the clip. Further, the clip may define at least one gap in the peripheral lip through which fluid may drain from the clip that is deposited within the clip when the hinge is dipped in an electro-coating bath.
Data Source
AI summary
A clip is attached to the hinge of a vehicle door to hold the door open during electro-coating and painting. The hinge is assembled with the clip to the vehicle prior to painting. The hinge is taken apart after painting to separate the door from the vehicle. An end of the clip may include at least one ramp surface and a pair of walls that define a receiver in which a stop attached to the door is received. The stop is captured in the receiver of the clip to hold the door open.