# US 10,369,870 B2 · Operating mechanism for rear hinged fully sealed independent side operating doors > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,369,870 B2 - Document ID: US10369870B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/241,115 - Filed: 2016-08-19 - Published: 2018-02-22 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-08-19 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Howard Paul Tsvi Linden; Ronald Patrick Brombach; Kosta Papanikolaou; Christopher Matthew Radjewski; Henry W. Hausler; John Thomas Ricks; George Anthony Bernwanger, Jr.; Donald P. Iacovoni; Paul L. Heirtzler, Jr. - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10369870B2 ## CPC - B60J 5/0477: {with two doors opening in opposite direction} - B60J 5/0479: {without B-pillar or releasable B-pillar, i.e. the pillar is moving with door} - E05B 83/38: for pillar-less vehicles, i.e. vehicles where a front and a back door engage each other in the closed position - E05D 3/127: {for vehicle doors} - E05F 15/614: operated by meshing gear wheels, one of which being mounted at the wing pivot axis; operated by a motor acting directly on the wing pivot axis - E05F 17/004: {for wings which abut when closed} - E05B 83/04: for sliding wings - E05Y 2201/22: Locks - E05Y 2900/531: Doors - B60J: WINDOWS, WINDSCREENS, NON-FIXED ROOFS, DOORS, OR SIMILAR DEVICES FOR VEHICLES; REMOVABLE EXTERNAL PROTECTIVE COVERINGS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES (fastening, suspending, closing, or opening of such devices E05) - E05B: LOCKS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; HANDCUFFS - E05D: HINGES OR SUSPENSION DEVICES FOR DOORS, WINDOWS OR WINGS (pivotal connections in general F16C11/00) - E05F: DEVICES FOR MOVING WINGS INTO OPEN OR CLOSED POSITION; CHECKS FOR WINGS; WING FITTINGS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, CONCERNED WITH THE FUNCTIONING OF THE WING - E05Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES E05D AND E05F, RELATING TO CONSTRUCTION ELEMENTS, ELECTRIC CONTROL, POWER SUPPLY, POWER SIGNAL OR TRANSMISSION, USER INTERFACES, MOUNTING OR COUPLING, DETAILS, ACCESSORIES, AUXILIARY OPERATIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, APPLICATION THEREOF ## Abstract A vehicle door includes a door panel slidably operable between a secured position within a door aperture and a staging position partially distal from the door aperture. A latch is engaged with a striker path during operation of the door panel between the secured and staging positions, and is selectively disengaged from the striker path to define open and closed positions of the door panel when the door panel is in the staging position. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle door comprising: a door panel slidably operable between a secured position within a door aperture and a staging position partially distal from the door aperture; and a latch engaged with a striker path during operation of the door panel between the secured and staging positions, and selectively disengaged from the striker path to define open and closed positions of the door panel when the door panel is in the staging position, wherein the striker path is defined by an elongated striker that is fixedly coupled to a vehicle frame and extends longitudinally in a direction parallel with an exterior surface of a forward door, and wherein the latch is fixedly secured to the door panel. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle door of claim 1, wherein the latch slides along the striker path of the elongated striker during operation of the door panel between the secured and staging positions. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The vehicle door of claim 2, wherein slidable operation of the door panel between the secured and staging positions is defined by rotation of the door panel about an engagement area wherein the latch engages the elongated striker. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vehicle door of claim 1, wherein the door panel includes a first hinge extending between a side edge of the door aperture and a vertical edge of the door panel, wherein operation of the first hinge at least partially guides the door panel between the secured and staging positions. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The vehicle door of claim 4, wherein the first hinge is a gooseneck hinge. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The vehicle door of claim 4, wherein the door panel includes a second hinge positioned at an end of the first hinge at the vertical edge of the door panel, the second hinge at least partially guiding operation of the door panel between the open and closed positions when the first hinge defines the staging position. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The vehicle door of claim 6, wherein the striker path is positioned along a bottom portion of the door aperture and proximate a central portion of the door aperture. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The vehicle door of claim 1, further comprising: a release mechanism coupled to the door panel and the latch, wherein the release mechanism is operable to define a first manipulation that operates the door panel from the secured position to the staging position, and wherein the release mechanism is operable to subsequently define a second manipulation that disengages the latch from the striker path when the door panel is in the staging position. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The vehicle door of claim 1, further comprising: a motor coupled to at least one of the door panel and the striker path, wherein the motor operates the door panel between the secured and staging positions.