Upwardly retracting vehicle door

In combination with a wheeled vehicle body having a roof and a vertically extensive door opening beneath said roof, said opening including at least one peripheral edge and having upper and lower portions, an improved assembly for closing said opening, said assembly comprising:

• a primary door panel received within the door opening, said primary panel being proportioned for closing of the lower portion of the door opening;
• means mounting the primary door panel for slidable movement relative to the vehicle body between a lowered position closing the lower portion of the door opening and an elevated stowed position removed from the door opening over the roof;
• a secondary door panel received within the primary door panel for movement relative to the primary panel between a retracted position confined at least partially within the primary panel and an extended position closing the upper portion of the door opening when the primary panel is in the lowered position, said secondary door panel being proportioned for substantially closing the upper portion of the door opening to said a least one peripheral edge;
• and,
• interengageable members positioned at predetermined locations on the primary panel and vehicle body to integrate the primary panel into the body when the primary panel is in the lowered position whereby the primary panel becomes an integral structural member of the body when in the lowered position.

A vertically sliding door closure assembly for a wheeled vehicle having a roof, a generally vertical door aperture beneath a rear edge of the roof and two side body portions located on opposite sides of the vehicle adjacent to the door aperture, the assembly comprising:

• a primary door panel;
• a secondary door panel retractable within the primary door panel;
• a plurality of door rollers rotatably attached to opposite lateral edges of the primary door panel;
• and
• two channels located on opposite side body portions adjacent to the door aperture and extending over a rear portion of the roof, the channels engaging the door rollers for guiding the primary door panel between a generally vertical closed position over a bottom portion of the door aperture and a generally horizontal open position above the roof and substantially parallel to the roof,
• wherein the secondary door panel is selectively movable between an extended position above the primary door panel covering a upper portion of the door aperture when the primary door panel is in the closed position and a retracted position inside the primary door panel when in the open position, the primary and secondary door panels serving to close the door aperture when in the closed position, the secondary door panel retracting into the primary door panel and the primary door panel moving over the roof when in the open position, and
• wherein the channels have lower ends that are inwardly angled to guide the primary door panel inward as it nears the closed position.

In combination with a wheeled vehicle body having a roof and a vertically extensive door opening beneath said roof, said opening having upper and lower portions, an improved assembly for closing said opening, said assembly comprising:

• a first guide member connected to the body and defining overlapping paths;
• a primary door panel received within the door opening, said primary panel being proportioned for closing of the lower portion of the door opening;
• a second guide member connected to the primary door panel and cooperating with said first guide member for slidably moving the primary door panel relative to the vehicle body between a lowered position closing the lower portion of the door opening and an elevated stowed position removed from the door opening adjacent the roof;
• and
• a secondary door panel received within the primary door panel for movement relative to the primary panel between a retracted position confined at least partially within the primary panel and an extended position closing the upper portion of the door opening when the primary panel is in the lowered position, said secondary door panel being proportioned for closing of the upper portion of the door opening.