Low-mounted powered opening system and control mechanism
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A power-operated system for actuating the rear doors or liftgates of motor vehicles is disclosed. The system includes an articulating strut mounted between a vehicle frame and the rear door. A motor assembly is operatively coupled between the articulating strut and the vehicle frame for changing the angular orientation and, in turn, mechanical advantage provided by the articulating strut. The articulating strut is moved into angular orientations of greater mechanical advantage in order to effect opening of the rear door and lesser mechanical advantage to effect closing of the rear door.
119 Citations
23 Claims
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1-9. -9. (canceled)
- 10. A method for driving an articulated strut to automatically move a closure between closed and open positions thereof, the method comprising the step of increasing the mechanical advantage provided by the articulated strut by changing the angular orientation of the articulated strut using a motor assembly, such that the articulated strut is biased to overcome and extend against the weight of the closure and, thereby, move the closure toward the open position.
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16. A liftgate operating mechanism for articulating a liftgate of a vehicle between an open position and a closed position, the liftgate mounted to a body of a vehicle for articulation about a hinge axis and having a strut for supporting the liftgate in the open position, the operating mechanism comprising:
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a mounting plate adapted for fixed attachment onto the vehicle a reversible drive motor fixedly secured to said mounting plate;
an arcuate rack mounted on said mounting plate, said rack having a series of gear teeth a crank arm adapted to be pivotally mounted on said mounting plate to be pivotally movable between a “
home”
position and an operative position, said crank arm pivotally connected to the strut; and
a series of planetary gears drivingly engaged between said drive motor and said gear teeth of said rack, whereby selective energizing of said drive motor effects said pivotal movement of said crank arm effecting opening and closing movement of the liftgate, said planetary gears rotatably mounted on said crank arm for movement therewith between the home and operative positions. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of powered articulation of a liftgate of a vehicle between an open position and a closed position, the liftgate mounted to a body of a vehicle for articulation between the open and closed positions and having a strut for supporting the liftgate in the open position, said method comprising:
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providing the strut with a movable lower pivot point;
unlatching the liftgate;
moving the pivot point from a “
home”
position to extend the strut from a retracted condition to an extended condition and, thereby increase the mechanical advantage provided by the strut;
driving the pivot point back to the “
home”
position, thereby moving the liftgate to the open position;
driving the pivot point away from the “
home”
position, applying a closing force on the liftgate to move the liftgate to the closed position;
cinching the liftgate to a latched condition; and
driving the pivot point back to the “
home”
position to contract the strut to condition.
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Specification