Fuel door interlock for vehicle sliding door

In a vehicle having a door sliding between open and closed positions via a door mounted roller mechanism rolling along a track mounted on the body, and a fuel filler door which pivots between open and closed positions and is accessible when the door is closed and inaccessible behind the door when the door is open;

• the improvement comprising:
• a blocker lever pivotally mounted on a housing adjacent the track for movement between an extended position reaching into the path of movement along the track to block opening movement of the door and a retracted position in which the blocker lever is withdrawn from blocking the path of movement of the door along the track;
• a cable operated by the pivoting movement of the fuel filler door for actuating the blocker lever to the extended position whenever the fuel filler door is opened so that the door is blocked from movement to interfere with fuel filler door access;
• and
• the blocker lever having an actuator lever attached to the cable and moving in concert with the fuel filler door, and a spring acting between the actuator lever and the blocker lever by which the pivoting of the actuator lever upon opening movement of the fuel filler door drives the pivoting movement of the blocker lever to the extended position and by which the blocker lever may be forcibly returned from the extended position to the withdrawn position independent of return of the actuator lever to the fuel filler door closed position thereof.

In a vehicle having a door sliding between open and closed positions via a door mounted roller mechanism rolling along a track mounted on the body, and a fuel filler door which pivots between open and closed positions and is accessible when the door is closed and inaccessible behind the door when the door is open;

• the improvement comprising:
• said roller mechanism including rollers rolling within the track, a carriage mounting the rollers and reaching out of the track, and an arm extending between the door and the arm;
• a blocker member movably mounted for movement between an extended position reaching into the path of movement of the arm along the outside of the track to engage with the arm outside the track and block opening movement of the door and a retracted position in which the blocker member is withdrawn from blocking the path of movement of the arm along the track;
• and
• a cable operated by the pivoting movement of the fuel filler door for actuating the blocker member to the extended position whenever the fuel filler door is opened to block movement of the arm so that the door is blocked from movement to interfere with fuel filler door access.