# US 11,993,968 B2 · Automotive vehicle sliding side door with dual guide rail > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,993,968 B2 - Document ID: US11993968B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/810,693 - Filed: 2020-03-05 - Published: 2021-09-09 - Granted: 2024-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2020-03-05 - Assignees: Rivian IP Holdings, LLC - Applicants: Rivian IP Holdings, LLC - Inventors: Chass Bakker; Brian Gase - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11993968B2 ## CPC - E05D 15/101: {specially adapted for vehicles (E05D15/1007 takes precedence)} - B60J 5/06: slidable; foldable - E05D 15/30: with pivoted arms and sliding guides - E05F 15/646: allowing or involving a secondary movement of the wing, e.g. rotational or transversal - E05Y 2900/531: Doors - E05D: HINGES OR SUSPENSION DEVICES FOR DOORS, WINDOWS OR WINGS (pivotal connections in general F16C11/00) - 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) - 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 dual-guide-rail sliding door system for an automotive vehicle includes a sliding door movably connected to a body of the vehicle; a front rail connected to the body of the vehicle; a rear rail connected to the body of the vehicle rearward of the front rail; a door rail connected to the sliding door; a front arm assembly connected to the sliding door and movably connected to the front rail; and a rear arm assembly movably connected to the rear rail and movably connected to the door rail. A lateral distance travelled by the sliding door along the body of the vehicle from an open position to a closed position is greater than a length of the rear rail. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An automotive vehicle, comprising: a body; a sliding door; a front rail connected to the body; a rear rail connected to the body rearward of the front rail; a door rail connected to the sliding door; a front arm assembly connected to the sliding door and movably connected to the front rail; and a rear arm assembly movably connected to the rear rail and movably connected to the door rail, the rear arm assembly comprising a rear-rail-roller carrier bracket, a door-rail-roller carrier bracket, and a rear arm rotatably connected to the door-rail-roller carrier bracket and rotatably connected to the rear-rail-roller carrier bracket, wherein the rear-rail-roller carrier bracket defines a first U-shaped profile in cross section and includes at least one rear-rail roller rotatably connected to the rear-rail-roller carrier bracket and positioned within the first U-shaped profile, and wherein the door-rail-roller carrier bracket defines a second U-shaped profile in cross section and includes at least one door-rail roller rotatably connected to the door-rail-roller carrier bracket and positioned within the second U-shaped profile, the sliding door being movably connected to the body, and a lateral distance travelled by the sliding door along the body from a fully open position to a closed position being greater than a length of the rear rail, the sliding door being configured to open so as, in the fully open position, to fully expose a door opening in the body for the sliding door with the sliding door being positioned rearward of a rear edge of the door opening, and the sliding door, in the fully open position, extending beyond a rear end of a rear end side panel of the body. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the rear rail is curved. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the rear rail comprises: a middle channel of the rear rail, the middle channel of the rear rail at least partially supporting a weight of the sliding door; a top channel of the rear rail; and a bottom channel of the rear rail, wherein the top and bottom channels of the rear rail constrain lateral and fore-aft motion of the rear arm assembly. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the at least one door-rail roller comprises: at least one middle roller rotatably connected to the door-rail-roller carrier bracket; at least one top roller rotatably connected to the door-rail-roller carrier bracket; and at least one bottom roller rotatably connected to the door-rail-roller carrier bracket. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the at least one rear-rail roller comprises: at least one middle roller rotatably connected to the rear-rail-roller carrier bracket; at least one top roller rotatably connected to the rear-rail-roller carrier bracket; and at least one bottom roller rotatably connected to the rear-rail-roller carrier bracket. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the front rail is curved. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the front rail comprises: a first bend to guide the sliding door; a second bend to control a lateral travel of the sliding door; a zone between the first bend and the second bend for receiving a structural pillar forward of the door opening. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the front rail comprises: a top channel to control a lateral motion and a fore-aft motion of the front arm assembly; and a lower lip to support a partial weight of the sliding door. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising: a front rail cover to cover a front portion of the door rail when the sliding door is in the closed position; and a rear rail cover to cover a rear portion of the door rail when the sliding door is in the closed position, the rear rail cover attached to the rear arm assembly. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the front arm assembly comprises: a front arm; and front-roller-carrier bracket rotatably connected to the front arm, the front-roller-carrier bracket includes at least one front-rail roller rotatably connected to the front-roller-carrier bracket. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the at least one front-rail roller comprises: at least one bottom roller rotatably connected to the front-roller-carrier bracket; and at least one top roller rotatably connected to the front-roller-carrier bracket. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The vehicle of claim 11, further comprising an electrical drive assembly attached to the front rail. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the electrical drive assembly comprises: an electric drive unit; a plurality of guide pulleys; a wire guide; a drive wire, the drive wire passing through the electric drive unit and the wire guide. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the front-roller-carrier bracket comprises an attachment for the electrical drive assembly and wherein the drive wire passes through the attachment. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising: a first seal between the sliding door and the body of the vehicle; a second seal between the sliding door and the rear arm assembly; and a third seal between the body of the vehicle and the rear arm assembly. ### Claim 16 An automotive vehicle, comprising: a body; a sliding door; a front rail connected to the body; a rear rail connected to the body rearward of the front rail; a door rail connected to the sliding door; a front arm assembly connected to the sliding door and movably connected to the front rail; and a rear arm assembly movably connected to the rear rail and movably connected to the door rail, the rear arm assembly comprising a rear-rail-roller carrier bracket, a door-rail-roller carrier bracket, and a rear arm rotatably connected to the door-rail-roller carrier bracket and rotatably connected to the rear-rail-roller carrier bracket, wherein the rear-rail-roller carrier bracket defines a first U-shaped profile in cross section and includes at least one rear-rail roller rotatably connected to the rear-rail-roller carrier bracket and positioned within the first U-shaped profile, and wherein the door-rail-roller carrier bracket defines a second U-shaped profile in cross section and includes at least one door-rail roller rotatably connected to the door-rail-roller carrier bracket and positioned within the second U-shaped profile, the sliding door being movably connected to the body, and a length of the sliding door being greater than a length of a rear end side panel length of the body of the vehicle which extends between a rear edge of a door opening in the body for the sliding door and a rear end of the rear end side panel of the body, the sliding door being configured to open so as, in a fully open position, to fully expose the door opening with the sliding door being positioned rearward of the rear edge of the door opening, and the sliding door, in the fully open position, extending beyond the rear end of the rear end side panel of the body. ### Claim 17 A dual-guide-rail sliding door system for an automotive vehicle, comprising: a sliding door; a front rail connectable to a body of the vehicle; a rear rail connectable to the body rearward of the front rail; a door rail connectable to the sliding door; a front arm assembly connectable to the sliding door and movably connectable to the front rail; and a rear arm assembly movably connected to the rear rail and movably connected to the door rail, the rear arm assembly comprising a rear-rail-roller carrier bracket, a door-rail-roller carrier bracket, and a rear arm rotatably connected to the door-rail-roller carrier bracket and rotatably connected to the rear-rail-roller carrier bracket, wherein the rear-rail-roller carrier bracket defines a first U-shaped profile in cross section and includes at least one rear-rail roller rotatably connected to the rear-rail-roller carrier bracket and positioned within the first U-shaped profile, and wherein the door-rail-roller carrier bracket defines a second U-shaped profile in cross section and includes at least one door-rail roller rotatably connected to the door-rail-roller carrier bracket and positioned within the second U-shaped profile, the sliding door being movably connectable to the body, a lateral distance travelled by the sliding door along the body from a fully open position to a closed position being greater than a length of the rear rail, the sliding door being configured to open so as, in the fully open position, to fully expose a door opening in the body for the sliding door with the sliding door being positioned rearward of a rear edge of the door opening, and the sliding door, in the fully open position, extending beyond a rear end of a rear end side panel of the body. ### Claim 18 A dual-guide-rail sliding door system for an automotive vehicle, comprising: a sliding door; a front rail connectable to a body of the vehicle; a rear rail connectable to the body rearward of the front rail; a door rail connectable to the sliding door; a front arm assembly connectable to the sliding door and movably connectable to the front rail; and a rear arm assembly movably connected to the rear rail and movably connected to the door rail, the rear arm assembly comprising a rear-rail-roller carrier bracket, a door-rail-roller carrier bracket, and a rear arm rotatably connected to the door-rail-roller carrier bracket and rotatably connected to the rear-rail-roller carrier bracket, wherein the rear-rail-roller carrier bracket defines a first U-shaped profile in cross section and includes at least one rear-rail roller rotatably connected to the rear-rail-roller carrier bracket and positioned within the first U-shaped profile, and wherein the door-rail-roller carrier bracket defines a second U-shaped profile in cross section and includes at least one door-rail roller rotatably connected to the door-rail-roller carrier bracket and positioned within the second U-shaped profile, a length of the sliding door being greater than a length of a rear end side panel of the body of the vehicle which extends between a rear edge of a door opening in the body for the sliding door and a rear end of the rear end side panel of the body, the sliding door being configured to open so as, in a fully open position, to fully expose the door opening with the sliding door being positioned rearward of the rear edge of the door opening, and the sliding door, in the fully open position, extending beyond the rear end of the rear end side panel of the body.