Vehicle door articulating and sliding mechanism

A vehicle door articulating and sliding mechanism comprising:

• a swing arm pivotally mounted via a first bracket to a vehicle structure at one end thereof;
• a sliding assembly comprising a rotating second bracket mounted at an opposite end of the swing arm, wherein the sliding assembly is slidably engaged to a vehicle door;
• a first flexible link at least partially encircling a first sprocket connected to the vehicle structure and a second sprocket fixed to the vehicle door;
• a second flexible link fixed to the vehicle door at one end and fixed to the vehicle structure at the opposite end, said second flexible link at least partially encircling a cam;
• and
• a catch member that moves with the second flexible link and engages the cam to accelerate movement of the door during opening and to decelerate movement of the door during closing.

A vehicle component articulating and sliding mechanism comprising:

• a swing arm pivotally mounted via a first bracket to a vehicle structure at one end thereof;
• a sliding assembly comprising a rotating second bracket mounted at an opposite end of the swing arm, wherein the sliding assembly is slidably engaged to a vehicle component;
• a first flexible link at least partially encircling a first sprocket connected to the vehicle structure and a second sprocket fixed to the vehicle component;
• and
• a second flexible link fixed to the vehicle component at one end and fixed to the vehicle structure at the opposite end, said second flexible link at least partially encircling a cam, wherein the second flexible link and cam provide a catch that engages the cam to accelerate movement of the vehicle component in one direction and to decelerate movement of the vehicle component in an opposite direction.