Belt driven power sliding door with belt tensioner

A power drive system for moving a closure panel on a motor vehicle having an opening between an open position substantially clearing the opening and a close position substantially covering the opening, said power drive system comprising:

• a guide track adapted to be mounted to the vehicle body adjacent the opening and extending therealong;
• a hinge member including a first end adapted for mounting to the closure panel and a second end operatively coupled to said guide track;
• a belt extending between first and second ends operatively coupled to the closure panel, said belt defining a path around said guide track;
• a motor operatively engaging and driving said belt along said path in either a first direction or a second direction in order to move the closure panel between the open and close positions;
• a spring coupled between each of said first and second ends of said belt and. said hinge member, wherein manual movement of the closure panel between either of the open and close positions causes movement of said belt in said first or second direction thereby pulling one of said first or second ends of said belt and extending one of said springs while the other of said springs pulls the other of said first or second ends of said belt, thereby resulting in relative movement between said first and second ends of said belt;
• a pair of sensors mounted to said hinge member, said pair of sensors sensing said relative movement between said first and second ends of said belt in response to manual movement of the closure panel, whereby said sensors create a feedback signal;
• and
• an electronic controller electrically connected to said pair of sensors for receiving said feedback signal and for operating said motor to overcome a motor back-driving force and belt friction forces created during manual movement of the closure panel.

A power drive system for moving a closure panel on a motor vehicle having an opening between an open position substantially clearing the opening and a close position substantially covering the opening, said power drive system comprising:

• a guide track adapted to be mounted to the vehicle body adjacent the opening and extending therealong;
• a hinge member including a first end adapted for mounting to the closure panel and a second end operatively coupled to said guide track;
• a belt extending between first and second ends operatively coupled to the closure panel, said belt defining a path around said guide track;
• a motor operatively engaging and driving said belt along said path in either a first direction or a second direction to move the closure panel between the open and close positions;
• and
• a differential belt tensioner having a housing mounted to said hinge member, said differential belt tensioner including a spring coupled between each of said first and second ends of said belt and said hinge member respectively, wherein movement of the closure panel between either of the open and close positions causes movement of said belt in said first or second direction thereby pulling one of said first or second ends of said belt and extending one of said springs while the other of said springs pulls the other of said first or second ends of said belt to take up slack in said belt;
• and
• a pair of potentiometers mounted to said housing and operatively coupled to said first and second ends of said belt thereby sensing relative movement between said first and second ends of said belt during manual movement of the closure panel whereby said pair of potentiometers create a feedback signal.