Operating device for automotive pivotal door

In a motor vehicle having a pivotal door which is pivotally connected at its upper end to a rear end of a roof of the vehicle,

• an operating device for operating said pivotal door, comprising:
• an electric motor of reversible type mounted on the rear end portion of the roof;
• a speed reduction device connected to and driven by said motor, said speed reduction device having an output part formed into an output gear;
• a rack member having a toothed side edge meshed with said output gear, so that upon energization of said motor, said rack member is moved axially;
• a motion transmitting member having one end pivotally connected to one end of said rack member and the other end connected to said pivotal door;
• a holding member for holding said rack member permitting the axial movement of the rack member relative thereto, said holding member being held by said speed reduction device in a manner to be pivotal about the axis of the output gear;
• two rollers rotatably connected to the holding member, each roller putting thereon the other side edge of said rack member;
• a cover member connected to said holding member to define therebetween a space through which said rack member axially moves;
• an outer slider of plastics disposed between said rack member and said cover member to smooth the axial movement of the rack member relative to the cover member;
• an inner slider of plastics disposed between said rack member and said holding member to smooth the axial movement of the rack member relative to the holding member;
• and
• a biasing member held by the holding member to bias the rack member toward said output gear to assure the meshed engagement between the rack member and the output gear.

In a motor vehicle having a pivotal door which is pivotally connected at its upper end to a rear end of a roof of the vehicle,

• an operating device for operating said pivotal door, comprising:
• an electric motor of reversible type mounted on the rear end portion of the roof;
• a speed reduction device connected to and driven by said motor, said speed reduction device having an output part formed into an output gear;
• a rack member having a toothed side edge meshed with said output gear, so that upon energization of said motor, said rack member is moved axially;
• a motion transmitting member having one end pivotally connected to one end of said rack member and the other end connected to said pivotal door;
• a single roller rotatably connected to a case of the speed reduction device to put thereon the other side edge of said rack member, said roller being arranged to permit a pivotal movement of said rack member about the axis of said output gear;
• a cover member connected to said case of the speed reduction device to define therebetween a space through which said rack member axially moves;
• an outer slider of plastics disposed between said rack member and said cover member to smooth the axial movement of the rack member relative to the cover member;
• an inner slider of plastics disposed between said rack member and said case of the speed reduction device to smooth the axial movement of the rack member relative to said case;
• and
• a biasing member held by the case of the speed reduction device to bias the rack member toward said output gear to assure the meshed engagement between the rack member and the output gear.