Charles C Varney

US Patent:

57917230, Aug 11, 1998

Filed:

Jan 16, 1997

Appl. No.:

8/784887

Inventors:

Mary Teresa Bell - Monroe MI
James Mario Hagerman - Northville MI
Roger A. Shipman - West Bloomfield MI
Rajinder Pal Singh - Canton MI
Charles Lincoln Varney - Grosse Ile MI

Assignee:

Ford Motor Company - Dearborn MI

International Classification:

B60J 506
E05F 1502

US Classification:

296155

Abstract:

In an automotive vehicle having a body opening closable by a sliding door, a door bumper wedge for restraining longitudinal and lateral movement of the sliding door has a wedge member attached to a door mating surface of the body opening, a receptacle member attached on a body mating edge of the sliding door defining a receptacle pocket, a pair of flexible, opposed prongs extending from the receptacle member a predetermined distance into the receptacle pocket, and a bumper member positioned within the receptacle pocket. The bumper member has a base portion, a pair of opposed arms extending from the base portion, each of the pair of arms positioned between one of the pair of prongs and a surface of the receptacle pocket, and a trough, defined by the pair of arms and the base portion, for receiving the wedge member therein when the sliding door is moved to a closed position, the wedge member restraining generally longitudinal movement of the sliding door by impacting the base portion, the pair of prongs and the pair of arms absorbing energy from the wedge member and limiting sliding door movement in a generally lateral direction when the sliding door is in the closed position by restraining relative movement between the wedge member and the receptacle member. An adjustment bracket is attached to an inner surface of the body pillar on an opposite side of the door mating surface for attaching the wedge plate to the door mating surface. The adjustment bracket adjustable to accommodate tolerance variation between the receptacle member and the wedge member upon first closure of the sliding door.