Vehicle sliding door with extended travel
AssigneeGecom Corporation
InventorsDarek Barczynski, Tsuguo Hoshikawa, Aleksandar Hrnjak
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A track system for extended rearward movement of a vehicle door is provided. The track system has an upper track coupled to the vehicle above the opening that the door closes. An upper roller assembly moves within the upper track and is connected by an upper extension assembly to the door. The upper extension assembly has an outer extension member coupled to the door and an inner extension member coupled to the roller assembly. The outer and inner extension members move relative to one another to allow the door to open more fully. Lower and/or middle tracks, and corresponding roller assemblies and extension assemblies may also be provided.
Claims20
For use with a vehicle opening having a sliding door movable from a fully closed position to permit ingress and egress, the door having an upper portion, a lower portion, a forward portion and a rear portion, a track system comprising:
- (a) an upper track to be non-movably coupled to the vehicle to extend longitudinally along and above the vehicle opening to be closed by the door,
- (b) an upper roller assembly to move in the upper track, and
- (c) an upper extension assembly to connect the upper roller assembly to the upper portion of the door,
- (d) the upper extension assembly having an upper outer member to be coupled to the door and to extend in the direction of the upper track and an upper inner member to be coupled to the upper roller assembly and to extend in the direction of the upper track, the upper inner member and upper outer member being coupled together for relative extension and retraction movement along the direction of extension of the upper members to provide for movement of the door relative to the opening from the fully closed position initially along the upper track to a normal open position and then by relative extension movement of the upper extension assembly to a full open position.
For use with a vehicle opening having a sliding door movable from a fully closed position to permit ingress and egress, the door having an upper portion, a lower portion, a forward portion and a rear portion, a track system comprising:
- (a) an upper track to be coupled to the vehicle to extend longitudinally along and above the vehicle opening to be closed by the door,
- (b) an upper roller assembly to move in the upper track, and
- (c) an upper extension assembly to connect the upper roller assembly to the upper portion of the door,
- (d) the upper extension assembly having an upper outer member to be coupled to the door and to extend in the direction of the upper track and an upper inner member to be coupled to the upper roller assembly and to extend in the direction of the upper track, the upper inner member and upper outer member being coupled together for relative extension and retraction movement along the direction of extension of the upper members to provide for movement of the door relative to the opening from the fully closed position initially along the upper track to a normal open position and then by relative extension movement of the upper extension assembly to a full open position, the upper extension assembly providing a motion resistance to the retraction movement less than the motion resistance provided by the upper track and the upper roller assembly such that, when the door is moved from its full open position toward its fully closed position the upper extension assembly will retract to move the door to its normal open position.
For use with a vehicle opening having a sliding door movable from a fully closed position permit ingress and egress, the door having an upper portion, a lower portion, a forward portion and a rear portion, a track system comprising:
- (a) an upper track to be coupled to the vehicle to extend longitudinally along and above the vehicle opening to be closed by the door,
- (b) an upper roller assembly to move in the upper track,
- (c) an upper extension assembly to connect the upper roller assembly to the upper portion of the door,
- (d) the upper extension assembly having an upper outer member to be coupled to the door and to extend in the direction of the upper track and an upper inner member to be coupled to the upper roller assembly and to extend in the direction of the upper track, the upper inner member and upper outer member being coupled together for relative extension and retraction movement along the direction of extension of the upper members to provide for movement of the door relative to the opening from the fully closed position initially along the upper track o a normal open position and then by relative extension movement of the upper extension assembly t a full open position, and
- a latch configured to release the upper extension assembly for extension and retraction the latch being configured to automatically lock the upper extension assembly against extension and retraction movement when the door is moved from it full open position to its normal open position.
A track system for supporting a vehicle door or extended rearward movement relative to an opening in the side of the vehicle, the door having an upper portion, a lower portion, a forward portion and a rear portion, the vehicle having an upper track extending along and above the opening, a lower track extending along and below the opening, and a middle track disposed between the upper and lower tracks and extending from the rear edge of the opening toward the rear of the vehicle, the track system comprising:
- (a) upper, lower and middle roller assemblies movable respectively along the upper, lower and middle tracks, and
- (b) upper, lower and middle extension assemblies configured respectively to couple the upper, lower and middle roller assemblies to the door, each of the extension assemblies having an outer extension member to be coupled to the door and an inner extension member to be connected to its respective roller assembly, the outer and inner extension members extending in the direction of the tracks and being coupled together for extension and retraction movement in the direction of their extension.
A track system for supporting a vehicle door for extended rearward movement relative to an opening in the side of the vehicle, the door having an upper portion, a lower portion, a forward portion and a rear portion, the vehicle having an upper track extending along and above the opening and a lower track extending along and below the opening, the track system comprising:
- (a) upper and lower roller assemblies movable respectively along the upper and lower tracks, and
- (b) upper and lower extension assemblies configured respectively to couple the upper and lower roller assemblies to the door, each of the extension assemblies having an outer extension member to be coupled to the door and an inner extension member to be coupled to its respective roller assembly, the outer and inner extension members extending in the direction of the tracks and being coupled together for extension and retraction movement in the direction of their extension, the lower track configured to support at least a portion of the weight of the door.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.