Vehicle closure

• US 4,801,172 A
• Filed: 05/07/1987
• Issued: 01/31/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Joalto Secured Creditors Trustee Corp.
• Original Assignee: John A. Townsend
• Inventors: Townsend, John A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pedder, Dennis H.
• Application Number:
  US07/049,001
• Time in Patent Office: 635 Days
• Field of Search: 296/106, 296/188, 296/51, 296/57 R, 296/146, 296/151, 296/155, 296/216, 296/220, 70/DIG. 64, 49/100, 49/40
• US Class Current: 296/155
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/06 slidable; foldable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 70/64 Door spanning bolt

Abstract

A closure assembly for aerodynamically designed automotive vehicles having body sections with door or displaceable panel apertures formed in generally curved exterior walls and multipart aperture closures such as combinations of solid door panels and windows as well as roof panels which are slidably mounted on the vehicle body section and selectively and rotatably movable within the curved exterior vehicle body wall about the circumference of arcs formed by sections through the exterior wall of the vehicle body between closed and at least partially open positions. Each of the closure parts have a dimension in the direction of rotational movement less than the full dimension of the body aperture so as to be cooperatively capable of filling the body aperture when fully and rotatably extended to a closed position and a unitary reinforcing member on the closure and extending across the aperture to reinforce the body section.

Claims

1. A vehicle closure assembly, comprising a vehicle body section having an aperture formed in a generally curved exterior side wall thereof and an arcuate aperture closure door slidably mounted on the vehicle body section and selectively and rotatably movable within the curved exterior vehicle body wall about the circumference of an arcuate path along said vehicle body wall between closed and at least partially open positions with respect to the aperture, said arcuate closure door being of a length sufficient to extend across the aperture when in the closed position, a unitary structural member mounted on and extending transversely across the length of the door, said member having integrally formed distal ends, and means on the vehicle body section to either side of the aperture, said means including downwardly open channels each proportioned for receipt of a respective one or the distal ends of said structural member when the door is in the closed position within the aperture such that compression forces may be transmitted from the vehicle body section longitudinally to the member whereby the door becomes a structurally integral part of the vehicle body section, said structural member sliding into received condition relative to said means, said sliding being responsive to rotational movement of the door from the open position to the closed position.

2. A vehicle closure assembly, comprising an elongated vehicle body section including structural support members forming part of a vehicle frame, said section having an aperture formed in a generally curved exterior side wall, generally arcuate aperture closure means for selectively filling the aperture including a door panel and a relatively moveable window adapted to be interiorly received in said door panel through one end thereof, said support members being disposed to either side of the aperture and having tracks positioned adjacent the aperture for cooperatively engaging and determining the path of movement of said aperture closure means, each said tracked support member being disposed in an arcuate path about a longitudinal axis of rotation having a radius of curvature and extent sufficient to enable the slidable movement of said closure means with respect to the aperture between a closed position within the aperture and an open position displaced from the aperture, a unitary structural member mounted on and running transversely across the length of said door panel, said member having integrally formed distal ends, and means on said support members to either side of the aperture for receiving said structural member, said means including downwardly open channels each proportioned for receipt of a respective one of the distal ends of said structural member when the closure means is in the closed position within the aperture, such that compression forces may be transmitted from the vehicle body section longitudinally to the member whereby said door panel becomes a structurally integral part of the vehicle frame as a whole, said structural member sliding into received condition relative to said means for receiving said structural member, said sliding being responsive to movement of the closure means from the open position to the closed position.