Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Door or window with specified vehicle feature
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-07
2001-04-03
Pape, Joseph D. (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Door or window with specified vehicle feature
C296S201000, C296S096220, C052S204550, C052S204620
Reexamination Certificate
active
06209946
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a pin or stud for locating one article with respect to another. The locater pin of the invention is particularly applicable to the task of positioning and locating a window pane or glass panel with respect to a metallic frame for that window in an automobile window assembly, and it will be convenient to herein describe the invention in relation to that exemplary application. It is to be appreciated however that the invention is not limited to that application.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Locater pins are currently used in the automobile industry for positioning or locating fixed or static windows such as windscreens in the metal frames of a vehicle chassis during the window assembly process. The metal frames typically include two or more registration holes or slots. The locater pins include a flat head and an elongate stem extending from the head. In use, the flat head is rigidly adhered in face to face contact with the window glass at specific positions on the periphery of that glass panel. A sealing and bonding compound, such as urethane, is applied around the perimeter of the glass for bonding the panel to the frame. The glass panel with projecting pins can then be properly located in the frame by positioning the pins in their associated holes or slots in the frame. The pins eliminate the need for complex holding fixtures for maintaining the glass in position while the urethane cures.
One problem with the current arrangement, however, is that as the vehicle chassis trundles along the production line severe vibrations are often imparted to the glass panels sitting in the frames. The glass panels have limited movement due to the location of the rigidly attached pins in their associated holes, so the vibrations transmit stresses to the glass which is vulnerable to breakage. Breakage of the glass naturally delays the production process and increases overall production cost.
Another similar problem occurs during the service life of the vehicle. That is, vibration and chassis flexure which occur during ordinary vehicle operation induce stresses between the glass panel and the frame at the locater pins which can cause undesirable squeaking noises as well as failure of the glass.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a solution to the above problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a locater pin for locating a first article with respect to a second article. The pin has a head portion for attachment to the first article and an elongate stem portion extending from the head portion for receipt in an aperture of the second article to properly locate the first article with respect thereto. The pin further includes stress dissipation means adapted to yield in the event of excessive stress being transmitted through the pin between the first and second articles to thereby prevent damage to either or both of the articles.
The predetermined stress load beyond which the stress is considered to be “excessive” will naturally depend upon the strength of the first and second articles. Clearly the stress dissipation means of the pin should be adapted to operate at a stress level below that at which the weaker of the two articles will fail. In this way, at a predetermined stress load limit the stress dissipation means will yield thereby relieving transmission of that stress load to the articles. The stress dissipation means may be designed to yield in tension, in compression or in transverse shear, or in any combination thereof. In addition, the stress dissipation means may be adapted to yield resiliently or, alternatively, may be adapted to permanently yield.
In a preferred form of the invention the stress dissipation means is in the form of failure means adapted to enable the pin to fail (i.e. yield permanently) in the event that a stress load in excess of the predetermined limit is transmitted through the pin between the first and second articles. In a particularly preferred form of the invention the failure means is adapted to facilitate failure of the pin by fracture or breaking. It will be appreciated, however, that other modes of failure, such as by stretching or permanent deformation, are also contemplated by the present invention.
In one form of the invention the failure means is adapted for shear fracture transverse the longitudinal extent of the pin in response to excessive transverse stresses arising for example as a result of relative movement between the first and second articles. The failure means may be adapted to cause fracture of the pin in a region of the pin to be located between the first article and the second article. The failure means may be located between the head portion and the stem portion of the pin.
In one form of the invention the stem portion includes a flange member which extends radially outwards from a longitudinal axis of the pin, the flange member being adapted to seat against a peripheral edge region of the aperture in the second article. The flange member also serves to maintain the glass panel spaced at a set distance from the frame. The head portion preferably includes a plate member having a substantially flat top region for adhesive attachment in face-to-face relation to the first article.
In one form of the invention the failure means includes a weakened region or a region of reduced strength making the pin susceptible to fracture in that region. The failure means may therefore include a region of reduced pin cross-sectional area. The failure means may also include a notch for concentrating stress at the region of reduced pin cross-section. In one form of the invention the failure means includes a necked-in region extending between the flange member of the stem portion and the plate member of the head portion.
In one form of the invention the stem portion is tapered at a free end to assist insertion of the pin into the aperture of the second article. The aperture may be in the form of a hole, a slot, or some other opening. The locater pin of the invention may also include fastening means for retaining the pin in the aperture after its insertion. The fastening means may include barbs or projections from the pin's stem portion for engaging an underside of the peripheral edge region of the aperture. Alternatively, the fastening means may include a thread or circumferential ribs on the stem portion for engagement with a fastening element such as a star washer or a threaded nut.
In a preferred application of the present invention, the first article is a sheet of glass or glass panel for an automobile window assembly and the second article is the metal frame defining the window opening in a vehicle chassis. The frame includes a plurality of holes or slots for receiving locater pins according to the present invention. The locater pins are preferably made of a material which will readily break at the failure means under excessive stress before the glass itself is caused to break. The locater pins are desirably formed of a polymer plastic material such as nylon
66
and each pin may be formed as a unitary element in a moulding process.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a window assembly for an automobile including a glass panel secured in a frame and including at least one locater pin as previously described with the head portion of the pin attached to the glass panel and the stem portion of the pin disposed in an aperture in the frame. The present invention also provides a vehicle which includes such a window assembly.
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patent: 4703973 (1987-11-01), Fujikawa
patent: 4723909 (1988-02-01), Kida et al.
patent: 4749224 (1988-06-01), Kurihara
patent: 4779919 (1988-10-01), Muller
patent: 5027569 (1991-07-01), Keys
patent: 5042871 (1991-08-01), Gotanda et al.
patent: 5205095 (1993-04-01), Kessler
patent: 5475956 (1995-12-01), Agrawal et al.
patent: 5531496 (1996-07-01), Zbinden et al.
patent: 5851045 (199
ITW Australia Pty. Ltd.
Lowe Hauptman & Gilman & Berner LLP
Pape Joseph D.
Patel Kiran B.
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