The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 16, 1989
Filed:
Apr. 05, 1988
Richard P Bozyk, Roseville, MI (US);
John P Quan, Dearborn Heights, MI (US);
United Technologies Automotive, Inc., Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
In the assembly of a door panel module (1) with the door frame (2) in the assembly line of an automotive manufacturing operation, an automatic interfacing system for a multi-component mechanical system, such as for example the door locking mechanism, part of which is on the panel module and the other part of which is on the door frame. The interfacing system includes a receptor cup (20) on the door lock actuator (10) on the panel module and an orthogonally extending distal tip (34) of the door lock actuating rod (30) mating therewith. The receptor cup includes a circular, conically shaped, tapered surface (21) which leads into a centrally located, locking opening (22), into which the distal tip of the locking rod becomes engaged, after the tapered surface through the lateral movement of the receptor cup has guided and caused it to become longitudinally engaged with the centrally located opening. The end portion of the locking rod includes a dog leg or inverted 'U' section, which extends along side (rod section 31), over (section 32) and into (section 33) the receptor cup, when the door panel module is mated with and fastened to the door frame. The tapered surface of the receptor cup causes the locking rod to become automatically engaged and locked into the receptor cup in the assembly operation. The receptor cup can be carried on a pivoting link arm (12), while the distal leg portion of the locking rod can include a nub (50) with an enlarged head (54) for positively locking the rod to the receptor cup (FIG. 7).