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US 9,067,474 B2Granted
Gear with idle zones
AssigneeDENSO International America, Inc.
InventorsNicholas Mazzocco, Aaron Compton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present teachings provide for a door linkage system including a drive side and a driven side. The drive side includes a drive gear and a drive arm. The driven side includes a driven gear configured to mesh with the drive gear and a guide plate in cooperation with the drive arm. The drive side moves the driven side between an open position and a closed position. Proximate to the open and the closed positions, the drive arm moves the driven side. Between the open and the closed positions, the drive gear moves the driven side.
Claims19
A door linkage system comprising:
- a drive side including a drive gear and a drive arm having a pin extending in a direction parallel to an axis of rotation of the drive gear;
- a driven side including a driven gear configured to mesh with the drive gear and a guide plate in cooperation with the drive arm, the guide plate defining a receptacle into which the pin extends in order to couple the drive arm to the guide plate;
- wherein:
- the drive side moves the driven side between an open position and a closed position;
- proximate to the open and the closed positions the drive arm moves the driven side by force exerted by the pin against the receptacle of the guide plate;
- and
- between the open and the closed positions, the drive gear moves the driven side without force being exerted by the pin against the receptacle of the guide plate.
4 more elements
A door linkage system comprising:
- a drive side including a motor, a drive arm, and a drive gear that includes drive teeth between a first toothless area and a second toothless area;
- and
- a driven side including a guide plate in cooperation with the drive arm, a driven gear that includes driven teeth between a third toothless area and a fourth toothless area, and a door movable between an open position and a closed position;
- wherein:
- the drive side moves the driven side solely with the drive arm when the door is proximate to the open and the closed positions;
- the drive side moves the driven side solely through cooperation between the drive teeth and the driven teeth when the door is at an intermediate position between the open and the closed positions;
- and
- the guide plate includes a first track, a second track, and an intermediate area therebetween, movement of the drive arm along the first track and the second track causes the guide plate to rotate, movement of the drive arm across the intermediate area does not cause the guide plate to rotate.
5 more elements
A door linkage system comprising:
- a motor;
- a drive gear including drive teeth, a first toothless area, and a second toothless area, the drive teeth are between the first and the second toothless areas, the drive gear is driven by the motor;
- a driven gear including driven teeth configured to mesh with the drive teeth, a third toothless area, and a fourth toothless area, the driven teeth are between the third and the fourth toothless areas;
- a drive arm driven by the motor, the drive arm including a first end and a second end opposite thereto, a pin extends from the second end in a direction parallel to an axis of rotation of the drive gear;
- a guide plate that rotates with the driven gear, the drive arm is coupled to the guide plate through cooperation between the pin of the drive arm and a first track, a second track, or a transition area of the guide plate;
- and
- a door movable between an open position and a closed position by one of the drive gear or the drive arm;
- wherein proximate to the open and the closed positions, the drive arm moves the door by force exerted by the pin against the first track or the second track;
- and
- wherein at an intermediate position between the open and the closed positions, the drive gear moves the door without force being exerted by the pin against either the first track or the second track.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.