Tools – For adjusting variable positioned parts
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-07
2001-12-04
Meislin, D. S. (Department: 3723)
Tools
For adjusting variable positioned parts
C029S271000, C029S281500
Reexamination Certificate
active
06324948
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to vehicle assembly tooling and more particularly to a tool for aligning a door striker to a vehicle body.
2. Discussion
Despite widespread use of striker positioning fixtures, variations in the various components which affect striker alignment have not eliminated the need to manually verify and adjust the alignment of a striker structure to a latch mechanism. Many of the tools currently in use employ locating details that wear and effect the overall alignment between a striker structure and a latch mechanism. Further, many of these tools are based on nominal dimensions and lack the capability to be readily adjusted to accommodate for variances in the vehicle being produced and/or to improve the robustness of the tool. Consequently, vehicle manufacturers expend tremendous amounts of labor to measure the alignment between the striker and a latch mechanism, and to adjust the alignment of the striker when it is determined to be out of position.
To gage the alignment between a striker and a latch mechanism, a technician will repeatedly open and close a vehicle door to “feel” whether the striker is dragging on the latch mechanism. This process is heavily dependent upon the skill and experience of the technician and several iterations of unfastening, moving, refastening and rechecking are typically necessary to obtain satisfactory alignment.
Despite the effort that vehicle manufacturers expend to achieve proper alignment between a striker and a latch mechanism, complaints regarding improperly aligned strikers are relatively frequent. Consequently, there remains a need in the art for a tool for aligning a striker to a latch mechanism that provides more accurate results.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is one object of the present invention to provide a tool for coupling a striker to a structure in operative alignment with a latch mechanism.
It is a more specific object of the present invention to provide a tool for aligning a striker to a latch mechanism which compensates for the variances in the manufacturing and assembly which affect striker alignment.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method for aligning a striker to a latch mechanism.
In one preferred form, the present invention provides a tool for coupling a striker structure to a vehicle body structure in operative alignment with a latch mechanism coupled to a door structure. The tool includes a body locating portion and first and second fixture portions. The body locating portion selectively couples the tool to the vehicle body structure. The first fixture portion is coupled to the body locating portion and includes a post member for engaging a latch ratchet of the latch mechanism and an outrigger structure for engaging the door structure to thereby limit an amount by which the tool may rotate about the post member. The second fixture portion may be coupled to one of the body fixture portion and the first fixture portion. The second fixture portion includes a plate member and a latch clamp. The plate member has a slot for receiving the leg member of the striker structure with the slot having a proximal end and a generally open distal end. The latch clamp includes a clamp arm structure that is pivotable about an axis perpendicular to the slot between an open condition and a closed condition. The clamp arm structure pushes the striker structure against the proximal end of the slot when the clamp arm structure is positioned in the closed condition.
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patent: 6029335 (2000-02-01), Hui et al.
patent: 6092771 (2000-02-01), Stojkovic et al.
patent: 6209186 (2001-04-01), Hui et al.
Copending U.S. application Ser. No. 09/394,744, filed Sep. 13, 1999, Entitled: Magnetic Striker Fixture.
Beaubien Gary W
DiTomasso Bradley
Kavc Andrew R
Lezuch Lawrence J
Stojkovic Zlatko B
Calcaterra Mark P
DaimlerChrysler Corporation
Meislin D. S.
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