APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING A SLIDING DOOR MECHANISM

• US 20080072498A1
• Filed: 09/25/2007
• Published: 03/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Strattec Power Access LLC (Strattec Security Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Strattec Power Access LLC (Strattec Security Corporation)
• Inventors: Whitehead, David W., Rogers, Lloyd W., Easton, Lawrence
• Granted Patent: US 8,127,497 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 49/360
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/646 allowing or involving a secondary movement of the wing, e.g. rotational or transversal
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/654 Cables
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/672 Tensioners, tension sensors
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2600/46 in or on the wing
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/531 Doors

Abstract

A drive assembly for a sliding door is disclosed, the drive assembly having a power drive unit for providing a rotational force to rotate a cable drum of the drive assembly, the power drive unit being mounted within the sliding door; a cable having one end secured a guide track of the drive assembly and another end secured to the guide track; a roller assembly configured to slidably engage the guide track; an arm fixedly secured to the sliding door and pivotally mounted to the roller assembly at a pivot point; a pulley rotationally mounted to the roller assembly, the axis of rotation of the pulley being aligned with the pivot point and the cable engages the pulley in opposite directions as the cable drum rotates and the roller assembly slides along the guide track as the cable drum rotates, wherein movement of the roller assembly causes movement of the sliding door.

Claims

1. A drive assembly for a sliding door, comprising:

a power drive unit for providing a rotational force to rotate a cable drum of the drive assembly, the power drive unit being mounted within the sliding door;

a pair of cables each having one end secured to the cable drum and another end secured to a guide track of the drive assembly;

a roller assembly configured to slidably engage the guide track;

an arm fixedly secured to the sliding door and pivotally mounted to the roller assembly at a pivot point;

a pulley rotationally mounted to the roller assembly, the axis of rotation of the pulley being aligned with the pivot point and each of the pair of cables engage the pulley in opposite directions as the cable drum rotates and the roller assembly sliding along the guide track as the cable drum rotates, wherein movement of the roller assembly causes movement of the sliding door.

2. The drive assembly as in claim 1, wherein a pair of cable conduits are provided for the pair of cables, the pair of conduits extending from the power drive unit to a housing of the pulley.

3. The drive assembly as in claim 1, further comprising a forward cable tensioner and a rearward cable tensioner each being configured to engage the guide track and secure a respective one of the pair of cables to the guide track.

4. The drive assembly as in claim 1, wherein the guide track is a lower guide track of a vehicle and the pulley is a pair of pulleys each independently and rotationally mounted to the roller assembly, the axis of rotation of the pair of pulleys being aligned with the pivot point and one of the pair of cables engages one of the pair of pulleys while the other one of pair of cables engages the other one of the pair of pulleys.

5. The drive assembly as in claim 1, wherein the pulley is a single pulley having a pair of channels configured to engage the pair of cables.

6. The drive assembly as in claim 2, further comprising a forward cable tensioner and a rearward cable tensioner each being configured to engage the guide track and secure a respective one of the pair of cables to the guide track.

7. The drive assembly as in claim 2 wherein the guide track is a lower guide track of a vehicle.

8. A drive assembly for a sliding door, comprising:

a power drive unit for providing a rotational force to rotate a cable drum of the drive assembly, the power drive unit being mounted within the sliding door;

a cable having one end secured a guide track of the drive assembly and another end secured to the guide track;

a roller assembly configured to slidably engage the guide track;

an arm fixedly secured to the sliding door and pivotally mounted to the roller assembly at a pivot point;

a pulley rotationally mounted to the roller assembly, the axis of rotation of the pulley being aligned with the pivot point and the cable engages the pulley in opposite directions as the cable drum rotates and the roller assembly slides along the guide track as the cable drum rotates, wherein movement of the roller assembly causes movement of the sliding door.

9. The drive assembly as in claim 8, wherein a pair of cable conduits are provided for the cable, the pair of conduits extending from the power drive unit to a housing of the pulley.

10. The drive assembly as in claim 8, further comprising a forward cable tensioner and a rearward cable tensioner each being configured to engage the guide track and secure a respective end of the cable to the guide track.

11. The drive assembly as in claim 8, wherein the guide track is a lower guide track of a vehicle.

12. The drive assembly as in claim 8, wherein the pulley is a single pulley having a pair of channels configured to engage portions of the cable.

13. The drive assembly as in claim 9, further comprising a forward cable tensioner and a rearward cable tensioner each being configured to engage the guide track and secure a respective end of the cable to the guide track.

14. The drive assembly as in claim 9, wherein the guide track is a lower guide track of a vehicle.

15. A method for opening and closing a sliding door of a vehicle, the method comprising:

locating a power drive unit of a drive assembly in a cavity of the sliding door, the power drive unit providing a rotational force to a cable drum of the drive assembly;

securing a first end of a first cable to the cable drum and securing a second end of the first cable to a first fixed location;

securing a first end of a second cable to the cable drum and securing a second end of the second cable to a second fixed location;

pivotally mounting an arm to a roller assembly at a pivot point, the roller assembly being configured to slidably engage a guide track, the arm being secured to the sliding door;

rotationally mounting a pulley to the roller assembly, the axis of rotation of the pulley being aligned with the pivot point, the first cable and the second cable engage the pulley in opposite directions as the cable drum rotates and the roller assembly sliding along the guide track as the cable drum rotates, wherein movement of the roller assembly causes movement of the sliding door.

16. The method as in claim 15, wherein a pair of cable conduits are provided for the first cable and the second cable, the pair of conduits extending from the power drive unit to a housing of the pulley.

17. The method as in claim 15, further comprising a forward cable tensioner and a rearward cable tensioner each being configured to engage the guide track and secure a respective end of either the first cable or the second cable to the guide track.

18. The method as in claim 15, wherein the guide track is a lower guide track of a vehicle.

19. The method as in claim 15, wherein the pulley is a single pulley having a pair of channels configured to engage portions of the first cable and the second cable.