Power drive for sliding door
First Claim
1. In a sliding door mounted in a door frame for sliding movement along a fixed path between a closed position wherein said door is positioned within a door opening in said frame and an open position wherein said door is withdrawn clear of said opening, releasable latch means on said door for latching said door to said frame when said door is in said closed position, and power means operable to drive said door between said open and said closed positions;
- the improvement wherein said power means comprises elongate guide track means fixedly mounted on said frame and defining a slide path extending in adjacent parallel relationship to said fixed path, a slider slidably received in said track means for guided sliding movement along said slide path between a first end limit and a second end limit, an elongate flexible push/pull cable slidably received in said guide track means and fixedly secured at one end of said slider, said cable having a length in excess of the length of said slide path between said first and second end limits of movement of said slider and said cable extending from said slider to project outwardly from one end of said track means, reversible power drive means mounted on said frame adjacent said one end of said track means and coupled to said cable for driving said cable and slider along said track means to drive said slider between said first and second end limits, a door abutment fixedly mounted on said door and projecting into the path of movement of said slider between said slider and said one end of said track means to transmit movement of said slider toward said one end of said track means to said door, and one way motion transmitting means coupled between said slider and said door for transmitting motion of said slider toward the opposite end of said track means to said door, said slider being located at said first end limit when said door is in said closed position and being located at said second end limit when said door is in said open position.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A power drive for a sliding door includes a slider for guided sliding movement along a fixed path between first and second end limits of movement. The slider operably engages with a sliding door to impart motion from the slider to the sliding door when traveling in a first direction. A reversible power drive is provided for driving the slider along the fixed path between the first and second end limits of movement in first and second directions of travel. A latch release, coupling the slider to the sliding door, initially releases a latch mechanism and, after release of the latch mechanism, transfers motion from the slider to the sliding door when traveling in the second direction.
42 Citations
14 Claims
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1. In a sliding door mounted in a door frame for sliding movement along a fixed path between a closed position wherein said door is positioned within a door opening in said frame and an open position wherein said door is withdrawn clear of said opening, releasable latch means on said door for latching said door to said frame when said door is in said closed position, and power means operable to drive said door between said open and said closed positions;
the improvement wherein said power means comprises elongate guide track means fixedly mounted on said frame and defining a slide path extending in adjacent parallel relationship to said fixed path, a slider slidably received in said track means for guided sliding movement along said slide path between a first end limit and a second end limit, an elongate flexible push/pull cable slidably received in said guide track means and fixedly secured at one end of said slider, said cable having a length in excess of the length of said slide path between said first and second end limits of movement of said slider and said cable extending from said slider to project outwardly from one end of said track means, reversible power drive means mounted on said frame adjacent said one end of said track means and coupled to said cable for driving said cable and slider along said track means to drive said slider between said first and second end limits, a door abutment fixedly mounted on said door and projecting into the path of movement of said slider between said slider and said one end of said track means to transmit movement of said slider toward said one end of said track means to said door, and one way motion transmitting means coupled between said slider and said door for transmitting motion of said slider toward the opposite end of said track means to said door, said slider being located at said first end limit when said door is in said closed position and being located at said second end limit when said door is in said open position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. In a sliding door assembly for opening and closing a door opening in the side of a vehicle body, said assembly including a door mounted on said body for forward and rearward movement along a fixed path between a closed position wherein said door is sealingly seated within said door opening and an open position wherein said door is disposed at the outer side of said body with its forward edge located adjacent the rearward edge of said opening, releasable latch means on said door for releasably latching said door in said closed position, and power means operable to drive said door between said open and said closed position;
the improvement wherein said power means comprises elongate guide track means having a guide passage extending longitudinally therethrough fixedly mounted on said body with said passage extending parallel to said fixed path from a forward end located adjacent the forward edge of said door opening to a rearward end located adjacent the rearward edge of said door opening, a slider slidably received in said passage and having a drive portion projecting outwardly through a longitudinal slot in said track means coextensive with said passage, an elongate flexible push/pull cable slidably projecting rearwardly into the forward end of said passage and fixedly secured at its rearward end to said slider, reversible power drive means mounted in said body adjacent the forward end of said track means selectively actuable to drive said cable and said slider in forward or rearward movement along said passage between a forward and a rearward end limit of movement, first means on said door projecting into the path of movement of said drive portion of said slider for driving engagement by the forward side of said drive portion of said slider to transmit forward movement of said slider to said door, and second means on said door projecting into the path of movement of said drive portion for driving engagement with the rearward side of said drive portion of said slider to transmit rearward movement of said slider to said door. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
Specification