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Varying radius helical cable spool for powered vehicle door systems

  • US 5,062,241 A
  • Filed: 08/01/1990
  • Issued: 11/05/1991
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/22/1990
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. An improved cable spool for a cable-actuated device, said device having drive means for selectively rotating said cable spool about an axis in either of two directions and a cable with one end interconnected with a movable member in order to cause movement of the movable member in response to rotation of said cable spool, a first portion of the movement of the movable member being a high displacement/low force movement, and a second portion of said movement of the movable member being a low displacement/high force movement, said cable spool including:

  • cable attachment means for securing the opposite end of the cable to said cable spool; and

    a groove formed along a generally helical path on a circumferential portion of said cable spool for windingly receiving the cable therein as said cable spool is selectively rotated in one direction and for unwindingly paying out the cable therefrom as said cable spool is selectively rotated in an opposite direction, the radial depth of said helical groove varying along at least a portion of said helical path in order to cause the cable to be wound onto, and paid out from, said varying-depth portion of said helical groove at a varying rate with respect to the rotation of said cable spool in both the high displacement/low force movement and the low displacement/high force movement of the movable member, thereby causing the movable member to move at a correspondingly varying rate with respect to the rotation of said cable spool when said cable is wound onto, or paid out from, said varying-depth portion of said helical groove.

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