Door system for a passenger car having at least two seat rows and method for operating such a door system

• US 10,603,992 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2018
• Issued: 03/31/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Grupp, Markus, Scholz, Bernhard, Peis, Reinhard, Aigner, Johann, Bloch, Josef, Mondal, Pia, Dietewich, Horst, Schneider, Daniel, Stiglbauer, Daniel, Schwellenbach, Niklas
• Primary Examiner(s): Blankenship, Gregory A
• Application Number:
  US15/877,832
• Publication Number:
  US 20180147919A1
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• Field of Search: 2961464
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/0479 without B-pillar or releasable B-pillar, i.e. the pillar is moving with door
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 83/38 for pillar-less vehicles, i.e. vehicles where a front and a back door engage each other in the closed position
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/00 Power-operated mechanisms for wings motor-operated accessories in locks for completing closing or initiating opening of a wing E05B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/611 for swinging wings
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/70 with automatic actuation
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/531 Doors

Abstract

A door system is provided for a passenger vehicle having at least two seat rows. The door system includes a front side door of a corresponding vehicle side, which can be brought into an open position from a closed position in order to take a seat in the rear seat row or to leave the rear seat row. In order to create a door system by which easier and more comfortable closing of the front side door is enabled, the front side door can be moved from the open position into the closed position by a door drive.

Claims

1. A door system for a passenger vehicle having at least two rows of seats, the door system comprising:

a front side door of a corresponding vehicle side having a front side door activating element configured to at least unlock the front side door, wherein

the front side door is brought into an open position from a closed position to allow for entering or exiting from the rear seat row, and

a door drive operatively configured to move the front side door from the open position into the closed position;

a rear side door of the corresponding vehicle side having a rear side door activating element configured to at least unlock the rear side door; and

a closing mechanism provided with respective door locks, by which the front side door and the rear side door are held in the closed position, wherein

after an activation of an enable function of the closing mechanism, a door lock of the front side door is to be unlocked by a first movement of an activating element different from the front side door activating element, and

after the first movement, a door lock of the rear side door is to be unlocked by a second movement of said activating element different from the front side door activating element.

2. The door system according to claim 1,

wherein

the front side door and the rear side door are attached on two opposite sides of a door portal and are mounted to open in opposite directions, and

the front side door and the rear side door border each other at a butt joint in their respective closed positions, in which case the front side door covers the rear side door.

3. The door system according to claim 1, wherein

the door drive is additionally configured as a door brake by which the front side door is to be braked during opening thereof and held in the respective open position.

4. The door system according to claim 2, wherein

the door drive is additionally configured as a door brake by which the front side door is to be braked during opening thereof and held in the respective open position.

5. The door system according to claim 1, wherein

the activating element different from the front side door activating element is a central closing button of the closing mechanism of the passenger vehicle.

6. The door system according to claim 1, wherein said activating element different from the front side door activating element is the rear side door activating element.

7. A method of operating a door system for a passenger vehicle having at least two rows of seats, the method comprising the acts of:

providing a front side door on a corresponding vehicle side having a front side door activating element configured to at least unlock the front side door, the front side door being openable into an open position from a closed position to allow entry or exiting from the rear seat row;

providing a rear side door of the corresponding vehicle side having a rear side door activating element configured to at least unlock the rear side door;

moving the front side door from the open position into the closed position via a door drive;

providing a closing mechanism with respective door locks, by which the front side door and the rear side door are held in the closed position;

unlocking a door lock of the front side door, after an activation of an enable function of the closing mechanism, in response to a first movement of an activating element different from the front side door activating element; and

unlocking a door lock of the rear side door, after the first movement, in response to a second movement of said activating element different from the front side door activating element.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein

the front side door and the rear side door are attached on two opposite sides of a door portal and are mounted to open in opposite directions, and

the front side door and the rear side door border each other at a butt joint in their respective closed positions, in which case the front side door covers the rear side door.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein

the door drive is additionally configured as a door brake by which the front side door is to be braked during opening thereof and held in the respective open position.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising the act of:

activating, via an activating element operable by a driver, the door drive in order to move the front side door from the open position into the closed position.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein

the activating element different from the front side door activating element is a central closing button of the closing mechanism of the passenger vehicle.

12. The method according to claim 7, wherein said activating element different from the front side door activating element is the rear side door activating element.

13. The method according to claim 7, wherein the activating element different from the front side door activating element is a central closing button of the closing mechanism of the passenger vehicle.