Cable guide assembly for a vehicle sliding door
AssigneeStoneridge, Inc., Alphabet Division
InventorsNeal DeCicco, Michael E. Scott, Thomas L. Wilson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cable guide assembly for use in connection with a vehicle sliding door. The cable guide assembly controls the movement of a cable carrier housing an electrical cable. The electrical cable is connected to components inside the sliding door and connected to components outside the sliding door. One end of the cable carrier follows the sliding door as it moves between open and closed position. The cable carrier is substantially maintained within a single plane during movement of the sliding door.
Claims15
A cable guide assembly for a sliding door on a vehicle, said sliding door movable along a track between a first position and a second position, the cable guide assembly comprising:
- an elongated, bendable cable carrier having a first end and a second end, wherein a flexible conductor extends through the cable carrier for connecting an electrical component inside the sliding door with an electrical component outside the sliding door;
- and
- attachment means for fixing the first end of the cable carrier to the sliding door, wherein said first end of said cable carrier follows movement of said door, as the door moves between the first position and the second position, said cable carrier being mounted to said vehicle to be maintained substantially within a generally horizontal plane, as the door is moved between the first position and the second position, wherein the cable carrier replicates adjacent to itself behind the sliding door, as the sliding door is moved from the first position to the second position.
A method for controlling an elongated flexible cable carrier having a first end and a second end, wherein a flexible conductor extends through the cable carrier for connecting an electrical component inside a sliding door with an electrical component outside the sliding door, wherein the sliding door is movable along a track between an first position and a second position, said method comprising:
- fixing the first end of the cable carrier relative to one end of said sliding door for movement thereby;
- and
- maintaining the cable carrier substantially within a generally horizontal plane, as the sliding door is moved between the first position and the second position, wherein the cable carrier replicates adjacent to itself behind the sliding door, as the sliding door is moved from the first position to the second position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.