Effect of Side Door Check Arm Profile on Side Door Closing Velocity

The side-door operation of vehicle is vital to the customer, as it reflects the overall build quality of the vehicle. The side door check arm is one of the primary components that determine the operating characteristics of a vehicle door. The profile of the check arm has a significant impact on the closing effort of side doors. In this study, the check arm profiles are analyzed virtually in relation to the side door's closing velocity. A virtual door model was developed in ADAMS to simulate the side door closing and opening. The study involves a check arm that guides the ball spring mechanism housing unit over the guide profile. Typically, a check-arm guide profile has two or three indents at a specific location which serves to maintain the door open in those positions. When a door enters an indent, the user must exert an effort to traverse it. Furthermore, the slope profile of the check arm defines the self-closing assist offered from the initial indent to the latching position. By modifying this slope profile, the velocity of self-closing assist is optimized. Multiple iterations on this slope profile of the check arm are examined. The study revealed that the acute slope profile depicted by a brachistochrone curve provides better door closing velocity in check-arm. This study concludes that the slope profile of the check-arm can be optimized and defined for the maximum assist in door self-closing. It was demonstrated that the complete profile of the side door check arm can be designed and optimized to accomplish the desired door closing velocity.